Just a short post to make a very simple point. The winner of Labour’s leadership election tomorrow has won the argument. That’s it. They deserve full and fulsome support. But just as the Democrats are able to unite after long and often brutal primary campaigns, so must Labour.
I have consistently made the argument that Labour has a far greater distance to travel than it is has been capable of admitting to. What will not help the party make that journey is a new bout of factional posturing. Labour can not afford a new version of Brown v Blair style factionalism. It was costly in government. It will be devastating in opposition.
Whatever the the flaws in the leadership election system- and they are considerable (whenever I tell people that I had four votes they respond with disbelief and it’s easy to understand why)- no candidate chose the rules. So unity will be the key tomorrow. Whoever has won deserves the opportunity to make the most of their opportunity with full and fulsome support.
In return I hope the new leader will realise the scale of the task before them and show openness and humility. Their success could well depend on it. But they have won the election, won the argument, and they have won the right to lead. He who wins, wins.
Fri, Sep 24, 2010
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