A day in the race: September 6th

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk

Today the candidates faced two of the scariest challenges of any election – the PLP and Mumsnet. As we roll into the final stages now, every day counts, so there’s still a lot of action from all of the leadership camps.

DAVID MILIBAND was today endorsed by the Times. In an editorial today (£) the paper said David is the “only candidate who commands the personal authority to be a credible Prime Minister”:

“The choice that the party ought to make is the only candidate who has shown even an inkling of understanding the gravity of the situation the country faces.”

“Mr Miliband understands that Labour needs a credible line on the deficit; he has tried more than any other candidate to appeal to the electorate as a whole. He is the only candidate who commands the personal authority to be a credible Prime Minister and Labour can be a serious Opposition only if it is seen as an alternative government. There is only one candidate who comes close to answering that description: David Miliband.”

Although the News International-owned Times is in no way a Labour paper, this is still a prized endorsement. What is particularly noteworthy is how scathing it is of the other candidates. The implication (not too subtly expressed) is that none of the other candidates are capable, and that David Miliband is the only reasonable choice.

Tonight, David is attending a Friends of Labour diaspora reception at Massala Zone in Covent Garden after the PLP hustings.

ED MILIBAND continued to make use of his union support as he sought to pick up votes in the union section. Today all Unison members were contacted by General Secretary Dave Prentis, who urged them to vote for Ed. Perhaps this voting information will help. As part of the video Ed also recorded the following video for Unison members:

Ed also contacted all party members today, and urged them to give him their first preference:

“I’ve argued that we must tackle the gap between rich and poor, rejecting low-pay, low skill jobs in favour of a living wage and a more prosperous, more diverse economy. I’ve argued for a foreign policy based on our values, not just our alliances. And I’ve argued for an approach to the state which rejects the idea that private is always good and public is always bad.”

“It’s my recognition of the need for that change that makes me the moderniser in this election.”

“If you believe, as I do, that Labour cannot go into the next election still defending the mistakes of the past; if you want to join me in building a party where members are valued to contribute to policy, not just deliver leaflets; if you believe that Labour can be the home of a new progressive majority that wins back power in this country, then please give me your first preference vote.”

ED BALLS today attacked Michael Gove on Academies at a Fabian event on fairness in education. Ed said:

“The Tory-Lib Dem government’s policies fail the fairness test. This analysis of Academies opening this term highlights the stark contrast between a progressive education policy under Labour to tackle disadvantage and under-performance and Michael Gove’s elitist policy which is simply about rewarding schools that are already doing well.”

“Through this new Tory Academies policy, the Education Secretary is giving high-performing schools in less deprived areas and with fewer children with special educational needs more funding at the expense of schools which need it most. That cannot be fair by any definition of the word.”

Ed was also (quite surprisingly) praised by Boris Johnson in his Telegraph column this morning for his Bloomberg speech. The speech has also won plaudits from top economists like David Blanchflower and the respected FT commentator Martin Wolf.

DIANE ABBOTT has been made Reading Pride’s first ever patron, after her appearance there last week.

Diane has also contacted all party members by email, urging undecided members to use the Votematch tool to help them decide on the choice of leader. Diane has evidently decided that if members use this tool they are more likely to “match” her than they might think.

Aiane also outlined her policies on housing and her depth of experience. Diane said:

“I want to rebuild our party. We need to celebrate our achievements, pull together and create a strong opposition to the Lib Cons. As leader I would move away from the New Labour backbiting, and create an open and democratic party. I want to see input from the grassroots supporters, councillors and trade unions, from all around the country, that have for too long been ignored by our party. Labour needs a new start, not a new leader that will take us back down the old roads.”

ANDY BURNHAM wrote for Progress on the subject of social care. Andy said:

“In England, the way we care for older and disabled people is a broken system. And things are about to get much worse.”

“Last week I wrote to every Lib Dem MP asking them to think long and hard about whether their voters support the coalition plans to break up the NHS. I believe that funding of care and support has the potential to be just as divisive.”

“The stakes are high. Funding of care and support is the most urgent of all social policy issues we face as a society.”

“The key policy issue under debate is that of voluntary versus compulsory payments. The Conservatives have characterised compulsory payments as a ‘death tax’. They may in time come to regret that language.”