Jon Cruddas backs David Miliband in Labour leadership vote
The New Statesman’s just revealed that Jon Cruddas, darling of the Left and the big unions in the deputy leadership contest of 2007, has backed David Miliband.
This had been coming down the tracks for a while but is still a shot in the arm for David Miliband as the candidates near the most important phase of this contest. Voting papers go out on 1 September.
This endorsement gives David Miliband some much needed left ballast. David Miliband has been cast as the Blairite candidate and in his own distinctive voice Jon Cruddas tries to explain in tomorrow’s New Statesman why he’s backing such a guy:
“I know it’s functional for people to caricature Miliband as some sort of late Blairite, but that was never the guy I knew.
That’s partly why he left Downing Street, by the way; he didn’t embrace some of the more full-on versions of what (Blairism) became. It was a much more balanced, radical political movement in its early knockings. Now you have a bastardised Blairism that people are trying to define Miliband as (part of), whereas he always belonged to the more thoughtful elements of Blairism.”
Cruddas picked up 9 per cent of the trade union members’ first preference votes in the deputy leadership contest of 2007 – that’s about one third of all the trade unionist votes cast (they’ve got one third of Labour’s electoral college).
He also got 18 per cent of party members’ first preferences. Back then he had some big union backing. This time that’s gone to Ed Miliband for the most part.
But Camp David will be hoping that Cruddas’ popularity with the grassroots will help to get their man over the line and elected.
There are 7 comments on this post
I find it depressing that the choice appears to be between the two Millibands.
I think it is time to break up the parties into smaller groups that better reflect the people who vote for them.
I can’t be the only person who feels that none of the parties – all of whom are trying to balance on a centre line – represent my views.
Instinctively I back Miliband ‘the Dave’ not because I know his thoughts on previous socialist policy, not because I think that ,he outshines his brother in any way, but because I have seen him handle people with unswerving accuracy and data to back him up. In short he is a tough cookie.
Ed appeals to my nicer instincts and he communicates more empathetically.. but che sara
David is the better team leader & developer of the five. He’s getting quite clever at media communication too.
What evidence do you have for your ‘two-horse race’ assertion on television the other evening? Both Milibands are possible winners but so is Ed Balls. The voting system is complicated enough to produce any result. Do you agree, and if not, Why?
Image David…..speaking tones….presence..
Diane Abbot sincere..not charismatic, Ed Balls , good chap .. tone of voice not clear cut and incisive……Andy Burnham too northern fish and chips ,therefore not a wide appeal..it is a superficial as that!
The sad truth of the Labour Leadership contest is there are no real leaders in the running for it.
As for David Miliband – he’s too closely linked to that Blairite vehicle; the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) for my liking. Just check out the names of those who have been connected with the IPPR who achieved safe Labour seats or donated cash to it or gained peerages.
There is nothing superficial about fish and chips!