Calls for a future change in the rules which bar candidates from standing for Labour leadership elections followed confirmation of a field of five at the close of nominations. Further protests are also expected over the exclusion of constituencies from the right to nominate.
The five nominated candidates had their first opportunity to put their case to a public audience when they addressed a hustings at the GMB union’s annual congress in Southport. Most candidates sought to distance themselves from at least one aspect of Labour Government policy from the past 13 years. Ed Balls and Andy Burnham argued that the impact of immigration of had been neglected.
Ed Miliband spoke of “our failure to act on housing early enough in our term in office” and he agreed with Mr Burnham, Diane Abbott and John McDonnell – before he withdrew – that ministers should have brought in equal treatment for agency workers sooner. The legislation, passed by Labour this year, will not take effect until October 2011.
However, David Miliband was unapologetic, insisting the Government had been afraid that improving agency workers’ conditions would increase unemployment if implemented during the economic downturn: “There’s a good argument that we should have done it sooner, but I won’t stand here and kid you that we weren’t worried [about unemployment]”.
Ed Balls reached out to union industrial policy when he called for a debate on whether movement of unskilled EU labour should be restricted to protect workers’ terms and conditions. Rows over undercutting of British pay agreements led to wildcat strikes on building sites last year.
Mr Miliband called for contenders to stop “talking to themselves and get on with making their case to the party membership”.
Voting will take place between August 16 and September 22 with a winner being announced on the first day of the Labour conference in Manchester on September 25.
