All to play for between Milibands in leadership contest
The first extensive poll on the Labour leadership contest suggests it's still all to play for between the two Miliband brothers.
A survey for tonight has David Miliband on 54 per cent of Labour's Electoral college, and Ed Miliband on 46 per cent.
This is the first poll to survey ordinary members and trade unionists who are entitled to vote because their unions are affiliated to the Labour Party.
Yougov have then added in the known preferences of MPs and MEPs to reach their final tally in the electoral college.
Yougov reckon the brothers are split 50-50 among party members, and 56 to 44 for David among trade unionists, subject to the usual margins of error.
And the polling firm reckon David is winning 55 to 45 among MPs and MEPs, though this still involves big uncertainties about the second preferences of MPs whose first preferences are for the other three contenders, Diane Abbott, Ed Balls and Andy Burnham.
David Miliband will be reassured to know that he's eight points ahead, but Ed Miliband will reckon he's still in with a good chance, simply because David Miliband was bound to start with a greater recognition advantage, and there is still about a month before people start casting their votes.
Now Ed Miliband needs to translate the endorsements he's received from big unions such as into votes among their grassroots members.
I'm Michael Crick, and I'm Newsnight's political editor. My guiding rule is that in any story there's usually something the politicians would prefer the world not to know. My job is to find that out. Follow me on
Comment number 1.
At 30th Jul 2010, brossen99 wrote:It would appear that the Labour party is about to shoot itself in the foot by restricting the choice of new leader down to a pair of Milibands deeply long term infected with eco-fascism. After the Radio 5 Live debate today, those who leaned towards being a future Labour voter but were not necessarily Labour party members themselves came out in enthusiastic overwhelming support of Andy Burnham.
Particularly both the Milibands and to some extent Balls are contaminated by the eco-fascist sect of the Blair inspired " Corporate Nazi " ideology. Within the next 5 years the CO2 driven man made global warming theory could probably be totally discredited. perhaps we have already seen the " end of the beginning " for the Climate Change Scam. Only a few weeks ago the EU climate commissioner woman was bleating about increasing EU CO2 cuts by 30% as opposed to the original 20% by 2020 target. She rather blew the real intention of said directive suggesting that due to the recession a 20% cut would be too easy and not drive investment in things like pointless wind farms. Anyway her eco-lunatic proposal has got knocked in the head this week, and perhaps circumstances will eventually mean that the 20% pledge is also abandoned. Cameron has already pinned all the energy policy side of the Climate Change Scam on the Lib-demmics, looking to the future the Labour Party will need " clean underpants " on the Climate Change Scam. Taking everything into consideration Andy Burnham is the only serious leadership contender with relatively clean underpants on climate change, ED miliband sporting the most soiled of all and closely followed by his brother.
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Comment number 2.
At 31st Jul 2010, Isatou wrote:It is all too exciting for me !
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