Unions Pick Labour Leader
Hot off the press comes the latest news from Manchester - the trade unions have effectively picked the new Labour leader, Ed Miliband.
Ed won the contest by 50.65% to 49.35% of the total votes cast in the electoral college - a close result as predicted.
But he won only by significantly out-polling his brother David in the trade union section - where most of the voters are not even Labour party members.
David Miliband received the most votes in the MPs section - and also amongst individual party members.
But his undoing came about because union bosses ran a concerted campaign against him - the big public sector unions - GMB, Unite and Unison - working in concert to deliver for their man.
So Labour's worst nightmare has indeed come true - see previous post dated 22 September 2010.
A close run contest is one thing - but the differential turn out in different sections of the electoral college - means that the trade unions have overturned the will of MPs and individual party members.
In effect, democracy has lost out - and will continue to do so until Labour's electoral college is replaced - by one member one vote.
Ed won the contest by 50.65% to 49.35% of the total votes cast in the electoral college - a close result as predicted.
But he won only by significantly out-polling his brother David in the trade union section - where most of the voters are not even Labour party members.
David Miliband received the most votes in the MPs section - and also amongst individual party members.
But his undoing came about because union bosses ran a concerted campaign against him - the big public sector unions - GMB, Unite and Unison - working in concert to deliver for their man.
So Labour's worst nightmare has indeed come true - see previous post dated 22 September 2010.
A close run contest is one thing - but the differential turn out in different sections of the electoral college - means that the trade unions have overturned the will of MPs and individual party members.
In effect, democracy has lost out - and will continue to do so until Labour's electoral college is replaced - by one member one vote.
