Contenders line up in battle for Brown’s tarnished crown
Candidates must appeal across a broad range of constituencies as the party’s electoral college is split into three equal parts: Parliamentary members, party members and members of affiliated trade unions.
The following are likely runners:
The joke at Westminster is that the parents of the two brothers created the elder one, David, in a secret New Labour laboratory intended to churn out the perfect, bland, social democrat moderate to lead the party in thefuture – but when they went for a second try and produced Ed, they had actually perfected the technique and added in some of the appearance of human normality his elder sibling clearly lacks.
The rivalry between the first brothers to sit in a British cabinet since the 1930s is real, and there is no certainty Climate Change Secretary Ed will give way to David, especially as he has a much easier, popular touch and is better liked by Labour’s grassroots.
David has taken a firm grip on the Foreign Office, especially when compared with his two weak predecessors – Jack Straw was sidelined by Tony Blair during the run-up to the Iraq War, and his successor Margaret Beckett merely served as Blair’s understudy in the role.
Dubbed “the palace of dreams”, the Foreign Office has been redirected and modernised under David’s stewardship and he has forged a very close working relationship with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Indeed, Clinton has even joked that she has a “slight crush” on David – but then he should look at her track record with men before getting excited about that.
Known as a bit of a Blairite android, David rose rapidly under the former PM’s patronage, becoming head of Labour Party policy by the age of 29.
Though a bookies’ favourite, he is seen as an elitist insider who lacks support among Labour’s rank and file or in the trade union movement.
David’s pros: The closet thing to an heir apparent.
Cons: Can look worryingly like a young Mr Bean from certain angles.
Ed’s pros: More likeable than his brother.
Cons: His brother.
The word crude is most often associated with Brown’s favourite and the man he would most like to succeed him, but cannot publicly back. Balls has a blunt, aggressive style which has alienated many Blairites and opponents use his rather unfortunate surname to belittle him.
As when the Tories launched a “castration” campaign to remove him from his safe Labour seat in last week’s election. A ferocious effort by the Conservatives saw a rattled Balls cling onto the constituency – just – but the encounter does not seem to have dented his perceived arrogance.
Status as Brown’s right-hand man since 1994 will stand against him. Singled out early for Tory hatred when then deputy Conservative prime minister Michael Heseltine ridiculed Brown’s pompous language regarding “neoclassical endogenous growth theory” and sneered, “It’s not Brown’s – it’s Balls.”
When elected to parliament Balls was fast-tracked to Schools Secretary by Brown and so outranked his cabinet minister wife Yvette Cooper. Intriguingly, if Balls does get the top job he could eventually pass the crown to his wife as she emerges as Labour’s foremost woman after deputy party leader Harriet Harman said she was not interested in the top job.
Ironically, if the Tory “castration” effort had worked and her husband was dumped from parliament Cooper would have had a good shot at the leadership this time around.
A divisive figure, but he has been planning his leadership bid for a long time and has strong backing in the trade unions which could prove crucial in Labour’s electoral college system.
Pros: Most definitely not a Blairite.
Cons: Made a bit of an (Ed) Balls of the election campaign.
That rarest of things in the higher echelons of the so-called “people’s party” – genuinely working class.
The former postman and trade union leader has risen to Home Secretary and was often cited as a compromise figure both wings of the party would unite behind if Brown was forced from power early.
However, he is considered lightweight and would most likely be seen as a caretaker leader who could not last a full parliamentary term. Yet he would be the most Lib-Dem friendly as he has long favoured proportional representation.
Johnson has given conflicting signals about whether he wants the job, and the general feeling is that his moment has now passed. Twice married, he is a hardliner on drugs, but strong on social justice. Privately threatened to resign from cabinet if gay equality legislation was watered down to appease churches.
Pros: Dull, safe pair of hands.
Cons: Dull, safe pair of hands.
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