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RSSExclusive: Compass members endorse Ed Miliband
Miliband tops ballot of Compass members, with Diane Abbott in second place.
By Jason Cowley Published 03 September 2010 16:34
In the first indication of how Labour members might vote in the leadership contest, Compass members, in a secret ballot, have overwhelmingly endorsed Ed Miliband to be the next leader of the Labour Party.
More of a surprise, perhaps, is that Diane Abbott, often regarded as no more than a maverick, came second in the vote, further indication of how the party and its members are turning left following the failures of New Labour in its terminal phase.
Earlier today, as my colleague George Eaton reported, David Miliband's campaign released details of a YouGov poll, commissioned by them, showing that voters see David as the most credible alternative leader to David Cameron. But the people surveyed are not Labour members and David Miliband is a former foreign secretary, and thus much better known than his rivals.
In the Compass poll, David Miliband, who is sometimes unfairly caricatured as a Blairite, finished third. Ed Balls finished last, even though he has been widely praised for his expertise as an economist and for his attacks on the coalition's deficit reduction programme by, among others, Irwin Stelzer and David Blanchflower, both writing in the New Statesman magazine, and Martin Wolf, writing in the Financial Times.
Neal Lawson, the chair of Compass, said: "This overwhelming result shows that amongst centre-left party members and activists Ed Miliband is the clear choice for leader. It is time to break with the now electorally disastrous politics of New Labour so that first the head and body of the party can be reunited and then Labour with the country."
Despite Jon Cruddas, the Dagenham MP who is close to the Compass group, having endorsed David Miliband (to the dismay of many), it's possible that Ed Miliband may now emerge as the figure around whom the pluralist left of the party will gather.
Here is the result in full:
Ed Miliband: 55%
Diane Abbott: 19%
David Miliband: 12%
Andy Burnham: 4%
Ed Balls: 3%
None of the above: 7%
Tags: Ed Miliband Labour leadership
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Jason Cowley is editor of the New Statesman
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18 comments
"David is vibrant and new and is a very credible prime minister." Are you sure? Sounds remarkably like the triangulating Blair who just failed in his attempt to disappear up his own orifice. Sadly. At least we would have been rid of him.
EXACTLY the result we need!
Ang, I saw " David is vibrant and is a very credible prime minister" at the top under Mike S's name. I thought to myself that those words could only come from DM's number 1 fan; sure enough I was right!
As to any prospect of a boom under this lot; decidely minimal I'd say, unless of course we're counting the accompanying unemployment statistics, they will definitely beat all others.
I've yet to see mass unemployment equate with economic growth.
www.votematch.org.uk tells me I agree with David Miliband the most, agreeing with 57% of his views. Ed Miliband and Diane Abott I agree with 53%.
Looks like I won't really be able to tell the difference between an Elder or Younger Labour leader.
All power to you Ed!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Black-Triangle-Anti-Defamation-Campaign-In...
Do the right thing!
This shows that the grassroots left of the party is looking for a realistic change - someone who can draw a line under the past, and move on.
Since when has New Labour cared what the membership think? That is the lesson Clegg has learned from Blair.
All the candidates are saying we have to move on, but we have to be careful not to disregard or disown the many achievements of the last Labour Govt. Those successes have to be built on. Ed is giving the impression that we forget all that and go back to 'old' Labour, but even he knows that is not possible, so he is not being completely honest. The only straight forward candidate is Burnham who could connect better with the electorate.
"It's possible, with Dagenham MP Jon Cruddas, who is close to the Compass group, having endorsed to the dismay of many David Miliband, that Ed Miliband may emerge as the figure around whom the pluralist left of the party now gathers."
Can anyone decipher that sentence?
Its getting to the point that in the world according to Ed the labour party should abadon everything good or bad of the last 13 years he's living in a dreamworld.
I suspect if Ed gets the nod he will find things rather different britian will never elect a left wing party ever again centre left yes but never a pure left wing party as Ed seems to want it but hey who am i? he may lead us to the promised land though i suspect he'll lead us to many years in the wilderness.
Perhaps it was to spare Andy and Ed B's blushes, but isn't it rather odd, given that the Compass ballot was a six-way STV poll including "None of the above" as an option, that you have chosen to list that option last despite it coming fourth?
A more important question is to who the second preference votes go to? - Have they been taken into account in this recent vote?
@Duncan
Putting "None of the above" fourth in the list would cause confusion for obvious reasons.
Hmm, left-wing organisation votes for left-wing candidate, shock!
I agree with bonk. I can't believe I just typed that. We need to regain power! Ed is old-fashioned, David is vibrant and new and is a very credible prime minister.
EdM isn't a Bennite ffs, he isn't saying disown the past 13 years but he is saying learn from them and move on. Blair's intervention on the deficit shows how out of touch he is, he believes it is still 1997 and Labour supporters will bend to his every whim.
Obviously, the electorate for the leadership is different to a general election. Thus, Ed will calibrate his message accordingly. When I get the fear and want the comfort blanket of David, I always think that if Obama can get elected in America; then anything is possible.
But basically, it all depends on the economy. If it booms, we're fucked. If it goes down the toilet we're made.
I think wer'e made then!
leftwards we go huzzar