Next Labour leader

[Gavster]

I was speaking to a friend after the election, and was saying that the next PM (should Cameron fail and Brown goes) has to be a woman or someone from a minority in order to generate the Obama effect.

Diane Abbott has just announced that she'll be running for the Labour leadership. She ticks both boxes. She's also very popular and a familiar and likable face on BBC's This Week.

Odds around 26/1

[stereoman]

Yesterday's Bettingzone Market News:

1510: Paddy Power has cut the odds on Ed Miliband being the next Labour Leader after Unison, the country's biggest public sector union, gave the younger Miliband sibling their backing.

Ed Miliband is now 7/4 from 9/4 with the 1.3 million member Unison adding their influential support to those from the GMB. The unions hold a third of the vote in a Labour leader contest making their support crucial although Ed's brother David Miliband still maintains his current position of favourite in the betting market at 2/5.

The race is increasingly looking to be a two-horse affair with nearest challenger Ed Balls potentially the biggest loser in the unions' shift to Ed Miliband. Balls' odds have slumped to 16/1 from 10/1 with Andy Burnham drifting to 33/1 and Diane Abbott at 50/1.

Darren Haines, spokesman for Paddy Power, said: "Its looking like a two-horse race in the battle to succeed Gordon Brown but Ed's bandwagon is the one gaining most momentum right now as David struggles to throw off his stronger association to the Blair-Brown era.

"Patterns suggest our Labour Leader betting is going to get a lot closer in the coming weeks so Ed supporters might want to be backing their man with a bet now."

[stereoman]

Today's Bettingzone Market News:

1315: Ed Miliband continues to catch his big brother David Miliband in the race to be the next leader of the Labour party and William Hill have trimmed his price from 6/4 to 5/4 with David out to 4/7.

Ed Balls looks out of the chase and Hills have pushed him out to 20/1 with Andy Burnham 33/1 and Diane Abbott 50/1.

"Ed Balls looks to be out of the race for the labour top job and we are 1/50 that the next leader will be a Miliband," said Hill's spokesman Rupert Adams

[ONEDUNME]

Diane Abbott is a complete twat. You can't take her seriously after her and her rubber-faced sidekick took the media purse in exchange for trotting out political shite.

A woman would never have "The Obama effect" simply because we've already had a woman leader and the country learned that it makes no fucking difference whatsoever whether our leader has testicles or not.

A black or Asian leader - mmm that would be good. That would make people sit up and take an interest and I'd like to see it if only to prove that the glass ceiling can be broken but I wouldn't one someone putting into power just because a party thought it would be a publicity coup to chuck somebody in because they were of a particular colour. If you want something different, why not go the whole hog and elect Stephen Hawking. If would make PM's question time interesting.




..and a personal bodyguard would stop his missis from battering him again.

[Gavster]

Well ODM, it was a passing thought on the day she threw her hat in. Black or Asian would be interesting, but don't think the British public is quite ready for the later, especially if the Daily Mail has its way.

A woman would get a decent following, especially given all the talk about the banks being run by too much testosterone. I don't agree with the whole Hariott Harperson "more women in top jobs" campaign. That's just tokenism - much like the Labour garbage that forced businesses to employ minorities rather than the right person for the job.

Diverting from subject I think, but both parties are guilty of buying votes by fielding minorities for media propaganda.

[stereoman]

After yesterday's story about the unions threatening to ditch Labour if Ed Miliband doesn't become leader here's today's Bettingzone Market News:

1400: William Hill say only David Miliband and Ed Miliband have attracted significant betting support in the race to become Labour Leader.

'David Miliband has been firm favourite since the day Gordon Brown stood down, and only his brother Ed has attracted any serious backing to beat him,' said Hill's spokesman Graham Sharpe.

Hills make David 4/11 favourite with Ed at 2/1 and then offer Ed Balls and Andy Burnham at a lengthy 33/1, with Diane Abbott virtually written off in the betting at 66/1.

'Political punters make it a straight two horse race, with David well clear as they approach the final furlong' said Sharpe.

[Gavster]

Watching this live debate.... Ed Milliband won't stop talking about tuition fees, no matter what the question he's just ploughing on with his tuition fee agenda. He's a real muppet and is like a little school boy in a public speaking competition! Piss poor!

David Milliband is the most fluent candidate, but he's also the one least likely to answer a question. David just made the Conservative's Big Society Labour policy if he gets elected. Quite funny that was! He really is very plastic and is totally tuned into media sound bites. Total waste of time if he's ever given a chance. He's another Blair/Brown offering no change.

Andy Burnham is like an angry factory worker. He's proper Labour. Seems like an honest chappie, but perhaps a little wet behind the ears. He is a people's champion, but wouldn't really be a supporter of enterprise, as he would punish anyone who made a few quid.

Ed... well a complete buffoon. He's a lunatic, but someone that'll stick up for his own beliefs. Stalin the Second!

Diane is great. If only she was a little younger. She is someone with integrity, but one with the least to lose.

[Winrew]

Our union has asked us to vote for Ed Milliband , not sure i want to vote for any of the candidates ,Ed seems to have the backing of the big unions.

As for Abbott , shes a fat gobshite hypocrite , she was banging on about folk being selective about which schools their kids attended , it was a crime for people to send kids to private schools , she then done this with her kid , bloody hypocrite..

Ed Balls , mad as a box of frogs and to tainted by his Brown support over the last few years.
Cant see any of them saving Labour , looks like the wilderness years for quite a while regardless of who wins..

[stereoman]

The odds as they are now:

David Miliband 1/3 (extrabet/totesport/William Hill)
Ed Miliband 5/2 (bet365/Coral)
Andy Burnham 66/1 (Ladbrokes)
Ed Balls 66/1 (bet365/Coral/totesport)
Diane Abbott 150/1 (Victor Chandler)

[Gavster]

The Sunday Times lead for tomorrow is that Ed Miliband is leading his brother for the labour leadership according to a shock poll.

[stereoman]

Ed Miliband Tells Sky News He's Not Surprised A Sunday Times Poll Shows Him As The Likely Winner | Politics | Sky News

Ed Miliband must be having a laugh if he thinks it's anything other than union vote giving him an early lead. Yougov wouldn't disagree but thinks that this is what will help give Ed Miliband the win when less popular candidates have been eliminated.

Today's Bettingzone Market News:

1115: A shock poll has put Ed Miliband ahead of brother David Miliband, the long time hot favourite, in the race to become new Labour leader and William Hill have slashed his odds from 3/1 to 2/1.

"Having seen him cruising to victory as the favourite since the day the race began, David Miliband's backers will have some concerns about this poll which does, though, give Ed only a very narrow lead over his big brother," said Hill's spokesman Graham Sharpe.

"However, these contests have a habit of throwing up suprise results - neither David Cameron nor Nick Clegg were initial favourites when they contested the Leadership."

Hills have lengthened David Miliband's odds from 2/9 to 4/11.

[stereoman]

Today's Bettingzone Market News:

1530: The support for Ed Miliband to produce a shock victory over his brother David Miliband in the race to become Labour leader is strengthening say bookmakers William Hill, who have again cut his odds, now down to 7/4, having been 3/1 last weekend.

"In racing terms it is as though David Miliband has been in front all the way but now, with only a furlong or two to run to the finishing line, he looks to have become lame!' said Hill's spokesman Graham Sharpe.

"Over 80 per cent of the money since the weekend has been for Ed to beat brother David."
Hills make David Miliband 2/5 favourite with Ed at 7/4 and offer 100/1 for Ed Balls, Diane Abbott and Andy Burnham.

The company also believe the next General Election will result in a Hung Parliament and currently make that their 6/4 favourite to be the outcome of the next national poll.

Hills make a Tory overall majority 7/4 second favourite, with a Labour majority 2/1 and a Lib Dem victory 80/1.

"Punters are far from certain that the next Election will produce a clear-cut outcome," added Sharpe.

============

Looks like the unions might be enough to get Ed first past the post.

[keemanan]

Pienaar rekons Ed will win via the second vote system just as that crazy bitch Harriet Harman did in 2007

[Gavster]

Some how I really don't see Ed last long if he does get in. His live debating skills have been dire up to now. Just imagine what he'd be like taking on Cameron at PMQs. He'll get mauled.

The suggestion is that David Miliband won't serve under his brother, but Ed will be thinking it best to have him inside the tent pissing out, than outside pissing in. Either way it pans out, it'll get messy. I'm just looking forward to the Private Eye coverage.

[Winrew]

Watching all the candidates on Question Time at the moment , David Millibands as slippery as f**k and Balls comes across as a thug , and an ignorant one at that..