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Live blog: Labour leadership

Minute-by-minute coverage as the new Labour leader is announced.

16:05 The delegates are being played a video (soundtrack: Bloc Party's "So Here We Are") before Labour's general secretary, Ray Collins, arrives to announce the result.

16:10 Ray Collins has taken to the stage, praising a "long and inspiring contest".

16:14 He is introducing Gordon Brown, who will make a rare speech shortly, to applause from the audience. He praises Brown for reducing poverty at home and abroad and for preventing a "second Great Depression".

16:18 Gordon Brown, along with his wife, Sarah, takes to the stage to the strains of James Brown's "Soulman".

16:19 Brown says he has come here to thank the party he has always served and will serve "for all his life". He praises Harriet Harman, who steps down as acting leader today, as a "tireless champion of equality".

16:21 Brown is on strong form. Among friends and freed of the burden of office, his voice soars as it did during his Citizens UK address.

16:23 There's praise for Brown's predecessors. John Smith, for committing the party to a national minimum wage; Neil Kinnock, for his socialist values; and Tony Blair for peace in Northern Ireland.

16:27 Brown says that Labour is now "the only progressive party" Britain has, to loud applause from the crowd.

16:29 He's really enjoying this. He calls for "markets with morals" and hails Labour as the "greatest fighting force for fairness this country has ever seen".

16:30 Brown leaves the stage to a standing ovation.

16:32 We're due to hear from Harriet Harman in the next few minutes. But first Ray Collins introduces (another) video.

16:35 Harman, widely thought to have done a fine job as acting leader, is speaking now.

16:41 Harman hands over to Ann Black, the chair of the party's NEC, who introduces the candidates.

16:43 David comes out smiling but Ed looks nervous. Is this a clue?

16:45 Here come the first-round results.

First round

Diane Abbott: 7.4%, Ed Balls: 11.8%. Andy Burnham: 8.7%. David Miliband: 37.8%. Ed Miliband: 34.3%.

Abbot is eliminated.

Second round

Balls: 13.2%, Burnham: 10.4%, D Miliband: 38.9%, E Miliband: 37.5%.

Burnham is out.

Third round

Balls: 16%, D Miliband: 42.7%, E Miliband 41.3%.

Fourth round

It's over. Ed Miliband is elected Labour leader with 50.6% of the vote. He's speaking now.

Tags: Labour leadership

13 comments

alex's picture

dont eat any bananas Ed... thats my advice

Nathaniel Myers's picture

Thanks guys, we can now kiss goodbye to the progressive Labour party and the next general election. A handsome return to the party of protest, permanently in opposition with no credible alternative for government.

What a ridiculous voting system as well, Ed only won because he was some people's third choice? What a bunch of fail.

Nick's picture

Support, not condemn our new Leader!

Zole's picture

Brilliant !!! Labour finally rejects slippery Blairite quasi-Thatcherism.

The 4 million disaffected who left Labour over the last decade now have some hope. Tough luck to the Blairites !!!

Ellie Mac's picture

How can it be fair that someone who lost the first three rounds of the Labour Leader election goes on to win ?? If thats AV then I prefer to stick with FPTP

Dave C's picture

@Ellie Mac

David Miliband lost the first three rounds too. You only win if you get more than 50%.

YoungSwanseaTrot's picture

Great news for mainstream politics. Once I have left the Socialist party I shall be joining Labour as quickly as is humanly possible!

Zole's picture

@ Luddite "4 million left Labour because we stopped listening, and ignored their genuine concerns."

Which, of course, was precisely my point !

Celia's picture

I do wish people would stop saying "well that's it for Labour's 2015 chances" and other such things. I mean, Labour may well not win that election, but Ed's only been leader for a few hours. At least see how he does before calling him a failure.

Nick's picture

Well said Celia! Give the man a chance!

Karen's picture

Well said Nick and Celia - we need to be together against the Coalition not putting Ed down minutes after the election. This result would not have been my choice but let's give him a chance.

Luddite's picture

The Labour party is in real danger of splitting, i see the insults have started already. Blairite. quasi-thatcherism. What's next class, traitor's, counterrevolutionary's. 4 million left Labour because we stopped listening, and ignored their genuine concerns.

Benedict's picture

@Luddite

"The Labour party is in real danger of splitting". Only in your head, not in the real world.

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