Has anybody else changed their mind?

By Ben Fox

It’s probably fair to say that the 2010 Labour leadership contest hasn’t been the most exciting campaign ever fought. It’s certainly been less fiery than the Tory battles in either 2001 or 2005, but I reckon that’s probably because we are not as ideologically divided a party as the Tories were and, deep down, still are. But after three months of campaigning, the ballot papers are hitting our doormats. It’s decision time – and in my case, and no doubt others, I’ve changed my mind during the campaign. My first preference will be going to Andy Burnham.

I could happily live with some of the other candidates. Both Miliband brothers would make excellent leaders, and the most important thing is that whoever we elect becomes the next Prime Minister.

But what are we looking for in our next leader? In my mind, we need someone who can quickly come up with a growth-centred and credible economic alternative to the coalition’s ideologically-driven cuts to public services. We need someone who can take back middle-England, but also appeal to the people in seats like Basildon, Cannock Chase, Dudley and Pudsey, who voted Labour consistently through the 1990s and in 2001, but who gradually deserted us in 2005 and 2010 because they felt we had become out of touch and no longer represented their interests. We shouldn’t need reminding that our share of the ‘middle-class’ AB demographic only fell by 2% in 2010 compared to 10% of the skilled C1, C2 and DE demographics.

Back in June, I had decided that I would back one of the Miliband brothers. But, I started to change my mind in July when I first heard about Andy’s commitment to create a National Credit Union – a great idea that is the perfect response to Cameron’s vacuous ‘Big Society’. What better than to have a financial institution, run at local level through the Post Office, which provides a viable alternative to the high-street banks that are failing customers and businesses? Run by local communities for local communities – it comes from Labour’s best ideological traditions of self-help and collectivism.

This economic focus has since been followed up by detailed proposals about replacing the deeply regressive council tax and stamp duty with a land value tax, a policy that would transform our taxation system and make it more proportionate and fair. It would mean that those living in properties worth between £100,000 and £200,000 would no longer be paying 40% or 50% of the tax paid by property millionaires.

Burnham’s “Aspirational Socialism” manifesto is also the most detailed and comprehensive policy document of any candidate. While I agree with most but not all of it, it’s difficult not to admire the boldness of a candidate setting their political stall out like that. As you would expect from the former Health Secretary, he has owned that part of the debate, and consistently made effective attacks on the Tories’ Andrew Lansley. The proposed National Care Service is also an exciting and long-overdue proposal.

Ed Balls has also fought a combative campaign, and has dominated Michael Gove in the education debates since June, but he has been tainted by his close association with Gordon Brown. Meanwhile, I hadn’t received any literature or contact from Diane Abbott until yesterday, so can’t really pass judgement on her policies or campaign platform.

Above all, I want our party to get beyond the tired clichés of ‘old’ and ‘new’ Labour. I’ve never been interested in these pointless and divisive labels. We didn’t lose in May because we had abandoned ‘new’ Labour. We lost because our party in government had become tired, out of touch and didn’t seem to offer anything new. It had become obsessed with constant political triangulation and a ‘top-down’ style that alienated party members. Quite simply, I think many Labour ministers had forgotten what the Labour Party exists to do to transform society.

Our party needs to step away from the last thirteen years and stop defining itself by whether it thinks it is ‘new’ or ‘old’ Labour. A democratic socialist Labour party that builds on its best traditions but learns from its mistakes will do for me. And that’s why Andy Burnham will be getting my vote.