A day in the race: July 30th

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk

Today lacked yesterday’s fizz and crackle, without a live hustings in front of a studio audience, but as the candidates head towards their summer holidays (which they will surely be glad of), there were a few final punches to be thrown.

ED BALLS responded to the news that Michael Gove’s colleague Theresa Villiers has written a letter of protest to Gove after a school was rejected for academy status in her area. Ed said:

“Michael Gove’s ministerial colleague is right to share our fears that the Tory academies programme will simply be about rewarding schools that are already doing well.”

“This is a complete perversion of Labour’s successful academies programme which was about turning round under-performing schools, often with pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds in some of the poorest areas.”

“Despite the over one thousand schools the education secretary claimed wanted to become academies and the emergency legislation railroaded through parliament, only a very small number of schools have applied to be Tory-style academies. And now we learn even this small number are in question with around 50 of them being told they aren’t ready which leaves a tiny number, if any, now going ahead this autumn.”

Many of you will have received Ed’s direct mail letter over the past few days (and those members who haven’t should receive it tomorrow). It’s well designed (and sticks to the same house-style as his website) and covers the key topics he’s been trying to focus on in the leadership race – attacking the government on VAT and schools.

What is interesting about the letter is not the content itself, but the very existence of an Ed Balls direct mail. This suggests that the campaign has a greater financial clout than many had imagined. But is this a sign of a campaign in rude health, or the last throw of the dice from a candidate struggling to break into the top-two? Only time will tell.

ED MILIBAND spent today in Wales, holding events in Anglesey and Wrexham, as well as conducting an interview with Channel 4 news. The afternoon in Wrexham was spent meeting party members, trade unionists and community organisers.

This afternoon, Ed’s campaign put out an email to supporters, called “We’re gaining ground”. The title seems certain to be a (sub)concious dig at the David campaign – although whether or not Ed is gaining ground is a matter for debate. The email said:

“We began this campaign for the Labour leadership eleven weeks ago, in the difficult days immediately after the Tories and Lib Dems created their callous coalition. Back then, we had no money and no organisation — in fact, this all started in my living room at home.”

“But our campaign is now gaining real ground — and real momentum — because people understand that Labour must change if we are to win again. That’s why, in this last week alone, 7 additional MPs have offered me their backing, and it’s why we’ve secured the nomination of our 6th trade union.”

“Our campaign is powered by people — thousands of people like you who have signed up to volunteer, and over 600 people who have helped us raise over £40,000 in small donations so far. There are just 8 weeks left to go in this fight. It’s a fight for our values — values of equality, the dignity of work, aspiration and liberty. And it’s a fight I intend to win.”

There’s a kind of Obama outsiderness to this which is quite smart and disarming – especially the stuff about the campaign starting in his living room. Most campaigns of course start somewhere humble – few spring fully formed into a Westminster office complex. I’d expect this to be a fruitful line for Ed, as the aspiring insurgent, and one he’ll continue to use over the summer break. So far it’s working – the campaign are reporting that they raised £1000 in the hour after the email was sent.

DAVID MILIBAND wrote a blog on gay marriage today, as he sought to dispel criticism that he has been insufficiently supportive of marriage equality in comparison to some of the other candidates. David said:

“It is an anomaly that gay couples – although they can call each other husband or wife – can’t say they are married. Canada and Argentina have shown the way forward. That’s why I support calls to change the definition of marriage to include exclusive relationships between couples, regardless of sex. This will mean gay couples will be able to describe themselves as married.”

ANDY BURNHAM as been in Northern Ireland on a busy day of visits – the first leadership candidate to travel there during a leadership contest in Labour’s history.

Tomorrow will be a big day for Andy, as the party launches the Defend our NHS campaign (somewhat conveniently, you might say) on Andy’s doorstep in central Manchester. You can sign up to the campaign, which will surely be a big one, here.

DIANE ABBOTT has had a quiet day today, but never one to miss a chance to advocate the removal of Trident, she was on Twitter this morning, saying:

“Tory ministers are squabbling over the £95 billion cost of replacing Trident nuclear missile system. I have an idea for them. Scrap it.”