As a new MP everything in the House of Commons is quite bewildering. In my case I’ve run a £12.5 million organisation with 250 staff but this has in no way prepared me for the avalanche of difference that falls on top of you when you enter parliament. Everyone is very deferential and helpful but there is far too much dressing up for my liking! It is an alien world for those of us who’ve spent our lives working at the coal or – in my case – chalk face.

Anyway, as a new Labour MP you also find yourself peculiarly in demand. There’s a leadership election taking place and candidates are keen to contact the new girls and boys. Well some of them are. I spoke to both Eds on the phone at reasonable length. Both of them understood that new MPs might wish to take their time before nominating anyone. And both of them emphasised the opportunities to shape future ideas by contributing to their campaigns. They will both make a real contribution to the arguments about where Labour should now go – they are strong candidates for the leadership.

David Miliband saw me in his new office – which looked good to me but was apparently nothing compared with the offices that the party in government has. For someone who had nominations to spare he was far from complacent. He was keen to listen to my views and spell out his analysis of why Labour lost and showed an energy about taking the argument to the wider party that is impressive. Like the other two candidates across the threshold of nominations his style was inclusive, self-critical and listening.

With a day to go I was one of the few MPs yet to nominate. I was irritated by the deluge of emails clogging up my inbox from people urging me to use the nomination to allow other candidates to cross the threshold. The irritation was about the time I need to spend killing these messages that could be better spent doing other things. In reality I’d already taken soundings across my constituency party and formed the very strong view that I should do what I can to increase the number of candidates in the field.

To celebrate my victory in Scunthorpe we had an event at the Redbourne Club. It seems to me that the test of the leadership race is whether everyone at that event can see a candidate in the field that they want to support. For that criteria to be met we need a diverse group of candidates to take their arguments to the party and the wider public. David Miliband reminded me that the list of candidates to succeed Harold Wilson included the likes of Callaghan, Shore, Benn, Healey, and Crosland. All white males of a certain age but representing a wide spectrum of opinion in the party.

I strongly believe that a field of candidates that represents the widest range of views within the party will lead to the most vigorous debate about our future direction. From this debate the strongest leader will emerge and that leader will be better equipped as a result to take the fight to the ConDemNation and ensure a Labour victory at the next opportunity.

So in the end I was the 32nd person to nominate Andy Burnham allowing others to focus on getting a fifth candidate in the field by the end of the Thursday morning. I was pleased that David Miliband was true to his word and that his nomination saw Diane Abbott complete the line up. Like the rest of the party membership I can now listen and contribute to the debate before casting my vote in favour of the candidate who shows the vision and leadership to take this great party forward.

Photo: andy4leader.com