Democracy and Bananas
The big three public sector unions have spoken - GMB, Unite and Unison - or at least their 'political committees' have made known their recommendations.
Ed Miliband is the man they want to be the next Labour leader - in preference to his brother David who is seen as a 'moderniser' - and is therefore regarded with deep suspicion by union bosses
Ed was previously one of Gordon Brown's inner circle - and is now seen as the only man who can stop brother David from being crowned king of Labour's castle.
Two other candidates - Diane Abbott and Ed Balls - are both much closer to the unions in policy terms.
Particularly Diane Abbott who has always been against the war in Iraq - and has always been in favour of scrapping Trident, Britain's 'independent' nuclear deterrent.
Diane is also the only candidate who was not a minister in the last disastrous Labour government - and who opposed Gordon Brown's disgraceful decision to abandon the 10p tax rate.
Yet despite these impressive credentials Diane has failed to win the backing of the GMB's, Unite's or Unison's political committees - who have all coincidentally declared in favour of the Brother Ed.
So, now millions of trade union members will be urged to vote - for someone they don't know - for reasons they don't understand - and this process will help decide who will be the next leader of the Labour party.
It really is as crazy as it sounds.
But the electoral college system was set up for precisely this purpose - to give union bosses and their faceless political committees - undue influence over the Labour party's internal affairs.
Most ordinary union members won't even bother to vote - the great majority of the millions to be balloted - will not take part in the election, and rightly so.
Yet the unions will still cast collectively one third of the total votes - in Labour's most important leadership election.
Now, if that's democracy - then I'm a banana!
Ed Miliband is the man they want to be the next Labour leader - in preference to his brother David who is seen as a 'moderniser' - and is therefore regarded with deep suspicion by union bosses
Ed was previously one of Gordon Brown's inner circle - and is now seen as the only man who can stop brother David from being crowned king of Labour's castle.
Two other candidates - Diane Abbott and Ed Balls - are both much closer to the unions in policy terms.
Particularly Diane Abbott who has always been against the war in Iraq - and has always been in favour of scrapping Trident, Britain's 'independent' nuclear deterrent.
Diane is also the only candidate who was not a minister in the last disastrous Labour government - and who opposed Gordon Brown's disgraceful decision to abandon the 10p tax rate.
Yet despite these impressive credentials Diane has failed to win the backing of the GMB's, Unite's or Unison's political committees - who have all coincidentally declared in favour of the Brother Ed.
So, now millions of trade union members will be urged to vote - for someone they don't know - for reasons they don't understand - and this process will help decide who will be the next leader of the Labour party.
It really is as crazy as it sounds.
But the electoral college system was set up for precisely this purpose - to give union bosses and their faceless political committees - undue influence over the Labour party's internal affairs.
Most ordinary union members won't even bother to vote - the great majority of the millions to be balloted - will not take part in the election, and rightly so.
Yet the unions will still cast collectively one third of the total votes - in Labour's most important leadership election.
Now, if that's democracy - then I'm a banana!
