At the Care Images blog we try to steer clear of politics but the Labour leadership issue can’t pass without a mention. I have been following proceedings from a distance and two points stand out clearly.
Firstly, after the election debacle, Labour have to do something to claw back a core vote that saw them retain power for 13 years and then in May that deserted the party. There is certainly an argument that under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, New Labour washed with same whiteness (or with plenty of stains) as the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. Given that Ed Miliband is seen as a more traditional union backing Labour leader, his election does at least give the party a clearer identity to move forward with. Whether the electorate will swallow this possible shift leftwards is another matter.
Yes, Ed Miliband needs to walk a tightrope between new and old Labour. But he also needs to use the anger that will come from having services slashed to the advantage of his party, whether new or old Labour.