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  1. Long reads
14 August 2008updated 12 Oct 2023 10:05am

The fight for the soul of the party

The battle lines are now drawn between the two factions fighting for the Labour succession

By Staff Blogger

In the Red Corner

The Candidate: David Miliband

The Organisation: Progress, the Blairite magazine and campaign group previously led by Peter Mandelson

The Thinkers: Phil Collins (former No 10 adviser and speechwriter) and Richard Reeves (new director of the Demos think tank and former special adviser to Frank Field)

Cabinet backers: James Purnell, John Hutton Popular appeal: Instantly recognisable. Women like him

Back-bench support? Doubts about loyalty but centre right trusts him

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In the Even Redder Corner

The Candidate: Jon Cruddas

The Organisation: Compass, increasingly influential left-wing campaign group within the Labour Party

The Thinkers: Neal Lawson (founder of Compass and managing editor of the Labour journal Renewal) and John Harris (pop music writer and Guardian columnist)

Cabinet backers: None Popular appeal: A “bit of a lad”. Unions like him, but an unknown quantity

Back-bench support? Liked by traditional Labour MPs and old Labour diehards, but modernisers see a dangerous lefty

Read “The factions square up”
By Martin Bright

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Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
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Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how Progressive Media Investments may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
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