Sheila Gilmore MP, who originally nominated Diane Abbott to ensure that the party had the broadest choice of candidates to choose from, will now cast her ballot as a Member of Parliament for David Miliband. A vote which is the equivalent of a 1000 party members and perhaps as many as 10,000 trade union members.
The primary process has been a very positive one. We issued 1000 ballot papers to “L5Ys”, aka strong Labour supporters, across the constituency. They were hand delivered and went out in our strongest Labour areas where we have a contact rate over 70% and a Labour vote of well over 40%.
These ballots essentially went out in the safest Labour areas of Edinburgh’s safest Labour seat. The very fact that these people identified with David Miliband shows that he has the power to speak to our base just as much as he can reach out to those Tory switchers – that is perhaps the biggest surprise of this primary experiment, and he’d do well to promote that point himself.
Although 1000 paper ballots were issued, we extended the opportunity to vote to any Labour voter in the constituency with an internet connection. By visiting www.edinburgheast.net, constituents of Sheila’s could cast a valid vote if they pledged to have voted Labour in May.
The fact that people could vote online was carried in The Scotsman and the Evening News. I’d call that the “local” paper, but Evening News sales actually outstrip those of our national newspaper.
Online voting clearly attracted a wider geographical spread of votes, giving voice to those people who live in the heart of Edinburgh’s old town. A very vibrant, diverse and young community, smack bang in the centre of Edinburgh, but it also reached out to the more settled and, dare I say it, middle class, seaside community.
42% of these votes went to Ed Miliband, 36% to David.
This was very much a two horse race, with the third placed candidate Andy Burnham only just breaking into double figures.
There has been a little debate on twitter today about the merits of using First Past the Post for this primary election. We opted for FPTP because it seemed like the fairest way of determining how Sheila would cast her preferences from 2 to 5. It was obvious to voters that whoever came out top would get her first vote, but what would she do with the rest?
Supporters of Ed Miliband have said that the use of FPTP short changed Ed, and that had it been AV, the result would almost have undoubtedly fallen in his favour. Quite what the evidence for this is, I’m not sure. But with Diane Abbott and Ed Balls, sharing the 4th spot, it is perhaps now time for them to show their own cards and declare their own second preferences. AV clearly won’t deliver the leadership for them, but it may deliver other political rewards.
Online voters were encouraged to leave comments on why the voted for a particular candidate. Here’s a small taster of what these voters really thought:
On Diane Abbott, one voter said “When I was growing up, the Labour Party stood for the principles of equality, engaging the disadvantaged members of the community and enabling people to better themselves. I feel that these values were lost – Labour championed big business and right wing America. The voice of the electorate was ignored because “the leadership” knew better. I need a labour leader who will fight for me, not court celebrities and retire to a millionaire lifestyle.”
An Ed Balls supporter said: I feel that I can trust Ed Balls, someone who knows where he is from and where he is going. Unlike David Miliband who looks like Tony Blair, David Cameron & Nick Clegg (second hand car salesmen) untrustworthy.
A voter for Andy Burnham commented: “I attended a hustings in Westminster and Andy came across as the most sincere of the candidates. He answered all questions very well.”
For David Miliband, the reason was simple: “David is the best man for the job, he is the only candidate who could realistically win the next general election.”
And for Ed Miliband, the response was, “I was wavering between the Miliband brothers, though inclined towards Ed, for some time now, but I finally came to my decision when David said that we need to elect a leader who can win an election. While this is true, it plays to the personality politics of which I think the country has had quite enough. I want a leader who can inspire and give rebirth to the party, who has the principles that are right for the country, and who can articulate those principles effectively.
I don’t want someone who will chase the middle England votes with hardline law and order rhetoric and back-pedalling on redistribution of wealth. I want someone who believes in putting Labour’s principles to the country. Let people vote for us if they agree with us.”
We asked voters what they thought, and they told us. We should be prepared to listen and act. The history of the Labour movement teaches us that minority opinions are no less valid, because they’re shared by a minority. We need to listen to the voices of all those who trust Labour with their vote and their futures and rebuild the party on the consensus that we find.
I can’t decide between the two Milibands and having campaigned with Ed I liked him and I liked his ideas, his points about a lighter relationship with the US and a living wage struck home.
I also like David’s ideas and his presentation style, the two don’t seem that far apart although Ed appears to me a bit more to the left, perhaps appealing more to core Labour voters, Unions and minorities.
Unfortunately much as I respect them, it is not core Labour voters and minorities that will win us the next election, it is more about floating voters and the Southern marginals.
The politics of personality look set to stay, trial by TV will be more important than ever next time, like it or not. With this in mind I think it will be David who gets my vote, his experience as Foreign Secretary stands him in good stead and he is recognised and known already on the global stage.
I may be compromising a little by voting for D and not E but currently, fingers crossed, it isn’t me and my family who will suffer most under this new, vicious, government, however there are many millions who I believe,will. The people deserve better and they will only get it with Labour, that way, we all benefit in the long run.
Sorry to close to Blair and brown, to much water under the bridge, if they make it to power all of the males will just be newer Labour and I’ve had enough of that. We had all with Blier when he came to power and the battle for the leadership deals done in café’s and to much of the lies and bull shit.