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Ed Miliband edges ahead of bruv in Labour leadership race |
LABOUR’S leadership race was turned on its head last night as “Red Ed” Miliband inched ahead of big brother David.
The former outsider edged into a narrow lead after sweeping up the support of seven big unions and thousands of grass-roots supporters.
A YouGov poll puts Ed just a nose ahead of his older brother David with 51 per cent of the vote.
Party insiders now think there will be no outright winner when votes are counted–and so the leader will be decided by second choices.
Shadow Energy Secretary Ed expects to mop up an avalanche of support when outsiders Ed Balls and Diane Abbott drop out. He told the News of the World last night: “I’m increasingly confident that I have the momentum behind me and I am going to win. People are coming to my campaign because they believe we have to change to restore people’s trust.” But self-styled “unity candidate” David, Shadow Foreign Secretary, warned: “I’m trying to persuade the Labour Party not to lose three or four elections before it bounces back.” The Milibands insist they are still close, but relations between their camps have become strained, with David's key allies branding rival Ed “Forrest Gump” after the less-than-bright character played by Tom Hanks in the hit film. The new Labour leader will be announced on September 25.