Any Labour members care to start a discussion regarding the leadership election?

[MarionCole]

Firstly, the email from Ray Collins which says "we have to make sure that those who share our values and beliefs are invited to have their say. That?s why we?ll shortly be taking out an advert in a national newspaper to invite them to join and to play their part." Does that mean they have changed the rules so that new members can vote?

I had a dream about Ed Miliband last night, I think it may be clouding my judgment.

I thought Diane Abbott did very well. Ed Miliband was far worse than I thought - he needs to sort out that oh-so-earnest stare.

David Miliband stayed firmly on the right of the party despite some moderately serious provocation.

Cameron will be happy if he was watching. None of them measured up really. They will have to improve to get anywhere near his natural empathy. Blair is the only British politician I can think of who could even possibly be better.

I actually thought Ed Balls was OK. Not good, certainly not great, but not awful.

I'm just watching it again on iPlayer because I missed the beginning.

An entirely shallow observation. Ed Miliband's lisp and habit of speaking out of the side of his mouth is cute for about 3 seconds and then gets really really annoying.

Just checking in after watching last night.

AB - only really animated on health issues, seemed out of his depth at times, didn't like his position on ID cards and I thought Diane rightly put him in his place.

EB - made me feel a bit uneasy at times but I can't remember why, may have been on immigration. Didn't fill me with confidence.

DA - came across very well, she is very confident of her own position and she talked a lot of sense. While I agree she would be great across from Clameron, at the back of my mind though I don't believe she is electable, which unfortunately I think is an issue.

DM - already behaving like he's been elected, too arrogant, I though he came across badly. He's very Blair-like though so I expect he would be electable. I won't be voting for him though.

EM - came across as though he had some principles rather than just saying what he thought was expected of him, more humility and less of an automaton than DM. I think he needs to work a bit on his presenting style though, he didn't seem relaxed.

MarionCole

Do you remember the bit at the end, where they were asked who the greatest Labour leader/non-leader was?

And David Miliband and Ed Balls decided to have a private conversation whilst other people were answering?

Apparently it was because David Miliband didn't hear the question properly, and was clarifying it with Ed Balls - but whatever the reason, it was so rude. It came across very badly to me.

I agree, that whole episode showed him in a bad light.

Unfortunately I'm not sure that Britain is ready for a middle-aged black female leftie as PM. I would love to be proven wrong though! Mind you, if the US can elect Obama...

Diane Abbott isn't PM material.

Not because she is middle-aged, black, female, or because almost all Labour MPs hate her.

But for the simple reason that she is far to the left of the British public.

I suspect the public will move left over the next year or two as the cuts start to bite, but will drift back once the economy is put on a sensible footing in 3 or 4 years time.

Andy Burnham: cut the NHS

www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jun/16/andy-burnham-nhs-spending-health

Very brave! I actually think he has a very good point.

Not sure it is going to win hearts and minds amongst the Labour grassroots though!

sounds like Burnham is living up to his name, bridges and how to burn 'em. Brave possibly, foolhardy certainly

I am a political junkie but dear God, this leadership campaign is boring.

Imagine how much worse it would be without Diane Abbott!

They should all be trying to make distinctive pitches which adorn the front pages of the broadsheets every day. Instead we get a yawnfest - where they say exactly the same things at every hustings.

I think the New Statesman's idea of giving them each one go at PMQs against Cameron is a good one.

Otherwise all that we have to look forward to is endless hustings debates about Iraq, Trident, and PR.

That is a very good idea.

It seems that David Miliband has been spooked by the success of Diane Abbott and his brother and has decided to abandon his Blairite roots, and veer off to the left.

www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jun/18/this-budget-is-the-big-test

Mansion taxes and removing charitable status from private schools. Are those really his big ideas? They could have come straight from a school debating club.

Annoyingly, I haven't been able to follow the news as closely today as I would normally.

What has been the response of the leadership contenders to the Budget, and is there anything in their responses which distinguishes them from each other?

Surely this is their first big chance to do something really memorable?

not sure. But the most memorable leadership comments seem to be from Diane. Is it only the Labourati that want the best for their children? Will Labour voters swallow this on top of everything else that they have had to swallow? Is this yet another case of one rule for the Central Committee and one rule for the rest of us?

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1288358/Diane-Abbott-plays-race-card-excuse-decision-send-son-priva te-school.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

LongFingerNails your a through and through CONservative. It shows terribly.

Blair had ten times the charisma and flair of Hague. Hague was consistently boring with that drone like voice of his. The man is and always will be a complete buffoon. He is inept, inadequate and has no political savvy whatsoever. He sounds like a dial tone with a frog stuck playing over the top of it.
You must really really have some bloody big blinkers on if you think Hague is any kind of decent politician.

I looked through many many Blair Vs Hague PMQ sessions and Paliamentary sessions and Hague was outclassed at every step. Devoid of humour he truly is a laughing stock.

My moneys on David Milliband personally.

LisaT06 It is not one of the Lefties threads.

I've been invited to a meet EM thing in Newcastle tonight (can't make it sadly; there's free beer!!) but going to hustings tomorrow.

have no time to do proper research so I'm annoyed at myself.

Would like to ask how the modern centr-right party is going to keep in touch with, and give a voice to, the working class grassroots. Suspect they will fob me off with constitency surgeries

David Miliband has won the endorsement of a trade union, though a pretty insignificant one: the USDAW.

That is quite surprising to me - I thought that Ed Balls and Ed Miliband would sew up the union vote between them.

Obviously this is just the union leaders and the ballot is secret - but presumably the union leaders still have quite a lot of sway?

Surely David Miliband is definitely going to win now?

Prolesworth Do you have links? Or is it just word of mouth?

One place where Ed Miliband could really clean up is in the second and third preferences. I can't see David Miliband getting huge numbers of transfers - he is a bit too polarising. There is a very definite anti-David movement, whereas there is no comparable anti-Ed movement.