The Milibandwagon: Ed or David? David or Ed?

[policywonk]

There's only one way to settle this, and that's with a hormonally-influenced barney on a mothers' talkboard.

I like a lot of what I've heard about Ed, but can't help thinking that he could do with more than one term in Parliament before people stuff him into the leadership (and from what I've read that's what he thinks too). David... I'm a bit, y'know, disappointed with all the torture and that

Plus, I'm almost more depressed at the thought of the brainless Clegg holding the balance of power than Cameron as pm. Not quite though. Sorry I have strayed off the point.

the only vaguely interesting thing about the Milibands I have heard was that one of them (not sure which) was on a radio talk show somewhere in Eastern Europe and a very old lady phoned in who turned out to be a long lost relative who they did not know existed.

OK,maybe it wasn't that interesting....

Have either of the Millibands ever done a days (proper) work in there life? Thought not.

hung parliament much more likely with electoral reform referendum on the table - well, on the table post-GE - don't you think? Unless DC matches it.

Apparently the least experienced contender usually wins leadership contest - the enmities are less entrenched. And they do say as how Burnham is looking tasty these days

Iv watched Dave M from the stranger gallery, looks like a giant gay stick insect.
The five sleepy Tories left in the chamber had him for seconds on there boozy lunch.
Not a good live debater.

but interesting.

It was Ed who did the phone-in on which his relative popped up.

I actually don't understand this argument that people who have spent their professional lives working in government are uniquely unqualified to, er, be in government. How does ten years of middle management in Wernham Hogg trump bucketloads of relevant experience? Government is fairly technical stuff.

I like Harman but she's ruled herself out, on the grounds that Labour would never get elected with her as leader (unfortunately IMO).

Oh hang on, now I'm confused - are we talking about as a potential next Labour leader, or the other thing . 'Cos my answers would be different y'know!

agree absolutely PW, re career politicians.

"How does ten years of middle management in Wernham Hogg trump bucketloads of relevant experience?"

A lot more MPs would have known that taking the piss with your expense account leads to getting the sack.

Dittany, when you say Miliband Major, do you mean David (the elder of the two brothers) or their father Ralph Miliband? Both of them would definitely know about the roots of the Labour Party.

Ralph was an famous left wing political theorist and one of his books was a 'must read' for students of politics in the 1970s,1980s and possibly beyond. David was very much into the Labour party from a relatively young age - he carried around a copy of the party's manifesto (and knew the contents of it!) at school in 1983 so I cannot imagine that he did not know basic facts about the Party.

(snorts at 'giant gay stick insect' a couple of my ex-boyfs fit nicely into that category, must be my type )

The great British public are not going to vote for electoral reform. Sadly. There will be too much 'blah blah, strong government, blah blah bloody continentals, blah blah BNP' in the public debate.

I also agree with policywonk that Harman is unelectable due to the unholy alliance of men who call her 'harperson' whilst smirking annoyingly and those frustrating women who for some reason will never vote for a woman (don't talk to me about Thatcher, she doesn't count).

God I'm an awful wet blanket.

On the subject of career politicians, I'm with pw again, common sense is distributed evenly across professions, the main problem is it's distributed pretty thinly. No reason to think a politician would make a worse pm than a postman. Now a postman turned politician...

I think that more and more MPs are working their way into goverment through the policy system - and it means a more homogenous attitude towards politics and policies. If all you know is the party machine and the Westminster Village, I think it can be hard to emphasise with people out in the 'real world'.

Dittany - the power of connection. Unfortunately, it's always been who you know before what you know.

On the Ed vs David question. I think that David is unfortunate in being Foreign Secretary becuse he is tainted with Iraq/Afghanistan and other controversial foreign policy. Ed's job is less troublesome in that respect.

I say, Alan Johnson for Labour Leader with Harriet Harman deputising. He's the man for the job! Might even make me think about voting for them in the next election

You say Harriet H has ruled herself out. No more than the Miliband brothers have ruled themselves out.

My DH thinks that DM looks like Curious George - it's the banana wot did it

Ed or David? Ed.
But....

Although I think he's Labour's best crack at a further term in office there is a danger that the public will resent yet another PM they didn't choose. If they are going to do it they need to do it soon. They should send in the stalking horse immediately and get the whole thing over with.

And aren't Labour closing the gap in the polls, or was that a rogue poll? Might it look like Labour imploding just as things are looking marginally less grim.

I don't think anyone is talking about Labour winning now, not even Labour politicians.

I think a hung parliament would be dreadful for us all.

We can look at track records Dittany, but unfortunately very few people do. It's very frustrating, especially now that there's more transparency on voting records etc. and the internet making it so much easier to find these things out. People take it all for granted, and I'm as guilty as the next person.

I like Harriet Harman, but is it gender or is it generation?