Ed Miliband named as leader of Britain's Labour party

[JCMach1]

Source: The National

Ed Miliband emerged last night as the British Labour Party's surprise choice as its new leader … but only just... "His victory, coming from nowhere a few months ago, is a clear sign that the party wants change, to move on from New Labour and reconnect with working people," Mr Woodley said.

"Ed has won by hitting the issues people care about - stopping the assassination of public services, fighting for a living wage, standing up for manufacturing, a better future for young people."...


Read more: http://thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100925/FOREIGN/100929749/1001

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Good news, methinks for the UK.

[Dawson Leery]

1. An anti-Blairite is what is best for Labour.

That would allow them a chance of victory in the next election. Cameron is being pulled to the right, angering many. The LibDems will most likely pay for their alliance.

[JCMach1]

2. Exactly, biggest losers in the coalition will be the Lib/Dems

Pay attention to any by-elections...

Clegg may just have to convert to Tory... just watch.

[enlightenment]

3. He's halfway there already.

He can continue crowing that the party didn't get the mass defection that was anticipated by some after his speech, but it's possible that a lot of LibDems were waiting to see who Labour chose as their new leader. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next few weeks - especially on the heels of that leaked quango slash list.

[T_i_B]

5. Clegg's already got issues with Lib Dem councillors defecting in Sheffield

Although the situation with the Lib Dem councillor defecting in Sheffield (where Clegg is an MP) is already turning very nasty.

All the same, Labour can't just sit back and expect disillusioned Lib Dems to flock to them automatically. Labour still need to put their own house in order.

[Spider Jerusalem]

6. Eh. Clegg's constituency (Sheffield Hallam) was a safe Tory seat for years.

I don't foresee him being hurt so much personally by his association with the coalition; at the same time I know entirely too many people who voted Lib Dem who never would have done so if they'd thought it'd mean getting a Tory government (which is what we have despite the fig leaf of the 'coalition').

[T_i_B]

7. And by the same token....

Sheffield City Council was well known as being very heavily Labour for many years but in recent times it's been Lib Dem controlled. Although Clegg's actions look very likely to result in his own party losing control of the council where his constituency is.

[Spider Jerusalem]

8. True enough...

and I expect some electoral fallout elsewhere, as well, in councils as well as Parliamentary constituencies (my constituecy, Cardiff Central is a traditionally Labour area that's gone for the Lib Dems at the last two general elections; I wouldn't give you odds on that happening again, regardless of the outcome of the Tory gerrymandering...erm, 'boundary reform').

[aquart]

4. I'm getting a lot of Labour retweets of joy.