Hmmm...I don't follow all this much but from what I've seen and heard David Miliband probably. Diane Abbott's got a lot more balls than Ed Balls, so she would run a close 2nd.

I'd want a 'none of the above' box, and make them pick some proper Labour candidates next time, instead of a row of Blair/Brown accolytes and professional self-publicist and taxpayer-funded freeloader Diane Abbott.

None of them would have been my ideal, but if I still had my vote I would have voted Ed Miliband.

I am no longer a member due to me fecking hating the local branch of whoooermeisting, corrupt, self serving, jobs for the boys, bunch of total and utter b'stards.

I would quite happily have some kind of mental moment and send a team of ninjas in to kick each and every one of thems arses.

In particular me Dad

Andy Burnham seems out of his depth.
I would not trust Ed Balls an iota. I wouldn't buy a car from him.

Nope. Why didn't his wife stand? Yvette Cooper is a far more capable politician than her loudmouth of a husband.

I like Yvette Cooper.

Having said that I don't hate Ed Balls as much as I probably should

I'll get back to you... haven't decided yet...but I do have a vote

I used to like Diane until she turned into a hypocrite and didn't feel she needed to defend or explain her decision.
Same here, I feel I should dislike him, but when I listen to him, he doesn't sound so bad. My choice would be Andy Burnham. I know he's young, but he has come out with a lot of sense lately. The Millibands are having a family feud, David is too pompous and Ed is too awkward.

Ed at the moment!

I'd like Diane Abbot.... Ed Milliband is Ok...... but don't like David Milliband or Ed Balls!!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/poli...ership-hustings-live

Liveblog from the TUC hustings.

Diane Abbot will make Labour unelectable.

My vote will go to her then

Sneaky!

I do have a vote, but I can't bring myself to vote for any of the candidates.  I would have voted for John McDonnell if he had got through to the final stages.  I can think of nothing that would make me consider voting for Diane Abbot - I hate hypocrites like her with a passion.

I had two votes. So that was two to Ed Milliband. Dianne Abbot is ok, the bit about schooling is a red herring, but she has no chance, likewise Andy Burnham. David Milliband appears to have Blair's rich backers behind him. Ed Balls ticks some boxes but will never be forgiven for his vindictive attitude towards that head of social services. £140 k costs? He's from a different planet!

How was the schooling issue a red herring GJ? I watched This Week at the time and no matter what question she was asked, she would not explain or defend. I went off her listening to it. We're all equal until my child needs something I can afford and you can't. I don't quite understand how she can be trusted again.

Because Labour leaders are normally measured on how many war deaths they are responsible for, or indeed how many tax billions Vodaphone are let off with. 
I tend to overlook their kids education.

Personal is political.  Probably.

Definitely not Ed Balls (nor his wife) who flipped their 2nd homes at least a couple of times within 2 years.

Who cares?

Labour are about to go through a period pretty similar to that the Tories went through post 1997. Whoever wins won't be leader by the next general election .

As a Labour voter, Andy Burnham is my first choice as Labour needs to ditch the legacy of New Labour and trying to be better Thatcherites than the Conservatives.  They should be aiming to  provide a clear left wing alternative to the coalition parties and he seems like the one most likely to take the Labour party to the left but not in a suicidal way like Diane Abbott would. 

Andy Burnham is an outsider so my second choice would be Ed Miliband.  I think Tony Blair anointing David Miliband as the heir to Blair has probably been the kiss of death to his campaign.

I wasn't at all impressed by Tony Blair's justification of New Labour, which to me amounted to the end justifying the means.  That is, adopting watered down Conservative policies as a means of gaining office.  Personally, I'd rather the Tories be in power than Labour putting a red rosette on Tory policies in government.

I like a lot of what Ed Miliband's saying and his campaign is leading the debate in a way that his older brother's isn't.

History rarely repeats itself.  There's every reason to think the Tories with the aid of a sympathetic media will steamroller the Labour message and win again but there's every reason to imagine we might be going through a period of political instability where the coalition falls in a few years time  and the Tories are booted out well before 2015.

I agree! I don't like the idea of gaining power by being better Thatcherites either. I do remember Tony Benn suggesting that the party should have an alternative policy to put before the electorate. If they reject it, so be it!

Absolutely Garage Joe
I think being better Thatcherites than the Tories (although Blair never dared put it that way) is fighting the battles of the mid 1990s, when it could be said that putting a sugar coating on Thatcherism but retaining left of centre ambitions, was the way forward.

However, looking back on all the large majorities Labour had and how little they changed the country for the better it has to be said (IMO) that the Blair way, while not being a total failure certainly failed more than it succeeded.

Pursuing a financial services deregulation policy that out-Toried the Tories has caused so much damage to the country's finances in retrospect that it should never be repeated.  When the warmongering is also considered, it really should be enough to kill off the New Labour project.

Cologne, I agree, the way Andrew Neil (who's hardly Paxman) ripped Diane Abbott apart over her use of private schools was clear indication that she would be torn to shreds if she became leader. 

Her excuse that black women will do all they can for their kids (as if white women wouldn't) suggested that she would be torn to shreds by the national media and fall into every laid trap by right wing journalists to cast her as a racist.  Then going on to refuse to further explain herself is the stuff that makes Gordon Brown's 'bigot' comment look like a political master class.

I'm sure she'd do well in the rock solid Labour heartlands but nationally she'd be crucified.

As someone who is adjacent to the solid labour heartlands.... (it used to be until a certain non-Dom flooded the local Tories with cash) I can assure you that, amongst the local mayorage n councillors, the choice is Andy Burnham. Not for me though but.

Dave Milliband looks like he has the most dubious sex life.  For that reason he has my vote. 

Sorry Garage Joe, I should have been clearer.  I'm not saying she's the choice of the Labour heartlands but that she's only likely to increase the Labour vote in the constituencies where a hat stand could get elected as a Labour MP.

You shouldn't be so strong in your suspicions. 

Yet again! I don't know how to quote on the phone. I don't disagree with your points. I'm just adding info............ Hopefully!

I dont know much about any of them to be honest with the exception of Diane Abbott and she is a big no no

Foot Balls I suppose. Seriously, wouldn't it be great if Balls was elected. Headlines would be so COOL.

Whys that then?

Finally decided and have also cast my rl vote:
1) Ed Milliband : seems to be more principled, more left wing, more committed to fundamental change and much less arrogant and patronising than the other two realistic candidates and is committed to a 50:50 cabinet of men and women
2)+3) Andy Burnham, Diane Abbott......like most of what both of them have to say but they're not really in the race, nor do I think they would make good leaders
4)+5) David Milliband and Ed Balls.....PLEASE don't let it be either of these two!

Well done super smashing.......... Etc.

anyone that will stand up against all the cuts this shower of shite that is in govermemt now. Blaming everything on the labour govt. Thatcherism returns big time.