A day in the race: 10th June

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk

A quieter day on the campaign trail today without a hustings for each candidate to attend. The candidates are all keeping themselves busy, though, with several fanning out across the country to meet the party and trade union members who will now decide their fate, now that the Westminster arm twisting over nominations has ended.

DAVID MILIBAND met with Labour MSPs today, following his meeting with MEPs yesterday, as he seeks to secure support among Labour’s elected representatives. Echoing his call for Labour MEPs to be represented in the shadow cabinet, David today tweeted that it is:

“crazy for Scottish/Welsh leaders not to be on Labour National Exec.”

On his way to Scotland, David recorded one of his regular audoboos:

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Members of Oxford University Labour Club – of which David was once a member – have created a video explaining why they are supporting his candidacy. Ranging from uniting the party, standing on our record, and being ready to replace Cameron in Downing Street, the video focuses on many of the characteristics that his campaign team are trying to push.

ED BALLS was on the campaign trail in Bradford this evening, meeting local representatives, and talking about his fight against government cuts to universal free school meal pilots which Balls had approved as a minister.
Earlier Ed was on the politics show and laid out his views on higher education funding. Balls made it clear that he favours a system of graduate taxes over either the current system – or higher variable fees, saying:

“I would much rather get rid of up-front tuition fees entirely and have graduates paying it back through a graduate tax….I think it just puts off loads of people from low income families from going to university.â€

ED MILIBAND also said he’s considering a graduate tax today, but much of the attention this evening is on his comments on high pay. Tonight he challenged the government to extend their high pay commission to the private sector, as well as the public sector. Speaking in Leeds tonight to councillors and trade unionists said:

“That is why today I am calling on the government to extend its pay commission from the public sector to make it a High Pay Commission looking at the private sector as well.”

Returning to the topic of housing, which has been regularly mentioned throughout the campaign, and is known to be a pet topic of former leadership candidate Jon Cruddas, he said:

“If they are serious when they claim to be concerned about the pay gap, then they should do it. It should look at the reasons for high pay, the effects not least on our housing market.”

Ed later held a livechat before his team celebrated in style, on their return to London.

DIANE ABBOTT, currently lacking a campaign website, is believed to be spending today preparing her campaign team for the fight ahead on one of the few days without a scheduled hustings. It’s important that Abbott gets her team in place soon though – while she certainly makes a splash at centrally organised leadership events, and was engaging on newsnight last night – her operation lacks the organisation, and therfore attention, of some of the other campaigns who are rarely out of the news.

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Similarly ANDY BURNHAM, who has a more clearly defined campaign team, but was uncertain of his place on the ballot until yesterday, is also believed to be finalising his arrangements for the coming weeks – although he has already committed to running his campaign from the North, rather than running a London or Westminster based campaign.
Having impressed at the GMB hustings, but failing to make similar headway at the New Statesman hustings last night, Burnham will be looking for a good performance at the youth hustings tomorrow night in Stratford. LabourList will be covering that hustings, amongst others over the next few days.

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