Analysis of the shadow cabinet candidates' Labour leader preferences reveals that Ed Miliband cannot rely on automatic support for his leadership. Of the 49 MPs standing for the shadow cabinet, 14 did not put down any preference for the Labour leader.
Analysis of the shadow cabinet candidates’ Labour leader preferences reveals that Ed Miliband cannot rely on automatic support for his leadership. Of the 49 MPs standing for the shadow cabinet, 14 did not put down any preference for the Labour leader.
David Miliband’s slight victory in the PLP (53% to 47%) is significantly magnified among shadow cabinet candidates. He gained 25 of their first preferences, compared to 12 for Ed Miliband, 9 for Ed Balls, 2 for Andy Burnham and 1 for Diane Abbott. The 14 candidates who didn’t express a preference for the new leader include Ben Bradshaw, Caroline Flint, Tom Harris, and Jim Murphy.
The older Miliband was also the choice of the New Labour establishment. Of the 14 ex-cabinet ministers competing for election, 7 picked Mili-D as first choice, with 4 (Hilary Benn, John Denham, Stephen Timms and Peter Hain) plumping for Mili-E.
Unless Ed M’s backers have a clean sweep in the shadow cabinet election, he will not have been the first choice pick for the majority of the shadow cabinet. While his brother’s decision to move to the backbenches reduces the likelihood of factionalism emerging, Ed Balls retains a powerful base of support amongst the 49 candidates – 18 put Balls ahead of Ed M.
In total, though, Mili-E did achieve 36 votes of varying preference from his potential shadow cabinet. And he can take solace from the fact that the sole candidate for Chief Whip – Rosie Winterton – pledged her first preference to him.
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12 Responses to “Ed M not the natural choice of shadow cabinet candidates”
John Ruddy
I think its a little disengenuous to assume that if an MP didnt put a preference for Ed, he was a David supporter. I can think of two Shadow Cabinet nominees (who will definitely win places) who didnt vote for either. Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper.
jim jepps
The one candidate who voted for Diane Abbott is presumably Diane Abbott herself, no?
It will be interesting to see what the final selection looks like, although I suspect Ed wont have any major rebellions on his hands any time soon..
Mr. Sensible
Even if people didn’t vote for Ed, hopefully, they will unite behind him.
torieboy
jim jepps
The one candidate who voted for Diane Abbott is presumably Diane Abbott herself, no?
YES, all publicity is good publicity, next year she will be doing strictly come dancing like ann widdecombe.
Kevin leonard
Personally I would love to see a shadow cabinet of diverse views. As for “Ed” I can’t see him lasting longer than 20 months in the job before the great and good realise they will never win an election with him at the helm, meanwhile the other Ed (balls and lots f them in private)waits for the whistle for the second half…