The Labour Leader race is hotting up!

[ShadeofViolet]

So its not just going to be the Miliband show.

We now have 5 prospective leaders (Dianne Abbott, Ed Balls, Andy Burnham, David Miliband, Ed Miliband)

Who would get your vote?

I believe Jeremy Corbyn and Frank Dobson (both of whom were very ready to stand up to their leadership when Labour was in government) also increased their majorities in this most recent election. Perhaps there's a pattern there.

They each need 33 backers out of 258 MPs, so we surely aren't going to see more than 5 candidates!

(Mathematically 7 would be possible... but allowing for a good handful who are never openly going to back any one candidate...)

There are usually one or two who announce a bid but don't get any further. Diane Abbott would certainly make it a real contest.

Sorry, but I am just laughing at the idea of DA being Labour leader.

I'm pleased to see Abbott stand simply because it's good to see a black woman in the race. Having said that, I would be voting for John MacDonnell. The only real leftie out of the bunch.

if you're a member, do you get stuff through the post from each candidate?

John McDonnell'sblog. He doesn't like Dave M and Ed B much, does he?

In January he wrote;

"Coming back from my friend David Taylor's funeral and reading all the usual self serving rubbish from Purnell, Balls, Miliband and Cruddas over the weekend really got my goat."

How much real chance has he got?

Gordon Brown also increased his majority at the election.

DA - feel doubtful about her, but then that goes for all of them!

Yes highlander you will, probably in advance of the vote and later more info along with the ballot paper.

John McDonald is the man for me.

Gillg57...looks like it's just you and me backing Mcdonnell. Odds in the Guardian today suggest that he's 100 to one.

I don't particularly like Diane Abbott and I don't think that she has any chance of winning anything but I completely understand her not sending her boy to comprehensive in Hackney. Lots of potential issues for black boys in Hackney and I wouldn't play politics with my child's education. Perhaps I am also defending her because I send my children private although I am "centre left".

I think that it is sad that electable women like Yvette Cooper and Patricia Hewitt are not standing. I guess YC doesn't want Ed Balls tio read her kids bed time stories .

Of the candidates it has to be Ed Milliband as he has the cleanest hands, can give Labour an edge with young and green issues, and can be dolled up to look darker and more handsome than Clegg and Cameron. Needs to hait cut though.

Gillg57 and RamblingRosa I will offer you 150 to 1 all day long on John McDonnell!

Litchick Fri 21-May-10 10:23:39

makes good point about Labour positioning. DA would be a definite move to the left and would easily give the Tories 3 full terms.

I think that Labour needs to stay on centre ground but use green and young issues to energise itself. In a way this this is what Obama did/is doing. he is a pragmatic centrist that managed to energise and organise the young. I think hope Ed Milliband has the vision and charisma to do exactly this. David M probably can do this but is more tainted and is too much of a Blair clone.

YOu guys are still asleep so I will chatter away:

Andy Burnham...is he just a "himbo" ? He is pretty but is there anything there?

I can assure you Tdiddy that re Andy Burnham there is really not much between the ears! (see my post further up thread).

Kinnock's come out for Ed Milliband today.

I just saw David Milliband with his kids in the playground! I had to really refrain from gawping. Good on him for still making the time to go to the playground with the kids when he must be rather busy. It didn't look like his wife was with him so extra brownie points if he was taking the kids off her hands for a bit to give her a break.

I don't get the Andy Burnham thing. I've spoken to 17 year old girls who had just met him for some meet and greet thing and they were all swooning about his eyelashes and how fit he was. I really don't see it. Maybe you have to see him in the flesh.

I respect Diane Abbott ensuring that women and minorities are represented but I am very interested in seeing her operate in a more constructive mode than I am used to seeing her!

RamblingRosa - they are all nice guys these days

I think that many of us men can out-domesticate WebCameron but no one is filming

Sorry to mention the elephant in the room,but does it really send out the right message having an obese person leading a major(debatable I concede)political party given the obvious and increasing strain placed on the NHS by obesity?Just a thought!

Ben - if you extend that argument then you could have said the same about blind David Blunkett and partially sighted Gordon Brown? And then you could exlcude any PM who smokes. Or you could subject them to genetic tests to ensure that they are not likely to be a strain on the NHS.

Blindness is not generally a result of lifestyle choice is it?

Diane Abbott has two major attractions:

1. she sent her son to public school
2. her association with Michael Portillo

I enjoy watching her on Thursday nights, and respect her views, but she would never be enough to make me vote Labour. The others are just a shower.

David Milliband so far ahead that it looks like a one-horse race

The calibre of the next Labour leader is such a crucial issue. A weak opposition is not useful to the country.

If the Labour party carries on with the refusal to acknowledge economic reality, it's going to spend 10 years minimum in the wilderness. So it's critical to find someone who is convincing about being able to handle the economy.

Ten years in the wilderness it is then.