New Labour Leader

Until yesterday I had forgotten that the result of the Labour leadership election was today.

I have missed most of the debates, so don’t know what promises they made to their members, but for me this was a surprise result.

To begin with I thought Ed Balls would be in with a good chance. He and his wife had been very involved in the last government, but with hindsight – do Labour members have that – maybe it worked against him.

Diane Abbott and Andy Burnham always seemed to be in the best position to finish fourth and fifth. Had Diane Abbot been able to galvanise the black and female vote, she should have been able to do well. Usually however, people vote with their heads and not their hearts, and if she was not seen as the best choice for her party so was never going to get the support.

She may have fallen to the same criticism that was metered out to Boris Johnson, Lembit Opik and Charles Kennedy. All of them spend time on television and while Diane Abbots appearances are more based on politics than the others, it can still be seen as time taken away from the real job.

Andy Burnham may not have been high profile enough, as the main thing I know about him is that he is an Evertonian. For me that is a good thing, but when you are better known for the team you support than your policies, you will clearly struggle.

I dont think there are many Lib Dems or Tories who are going to worry about the decision the Labour Party made today.