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In the scheme of all things political this should have been an interesting programme on BBCTV last night, but alas alas it wasnt, it didnt ignite and somehow for me was as flat as the proverbial pancake. All five candidates took to the televised hustings to show why they would make the best leader. There was audience participation but that was dull too and suffice to say that following this yawn inducing program I had the best nights sleep for an age.
However, maybe it was just me having a bad night, so back to the job in hand, who took part? who is in the leadership contest?
For the uninitiated here we are...
Ed Balls : Ebullient Balls keen to distance himself from the previous administration. Major charisma shortfall. May appeal to traditional cloth cappers!
Diane Abbott: Playing up the black card bigtime. Only black woman to get this far in Brit politics etc etc. Woolly headed no hoper!
Andy Burnham: Some charisma, cuddly, may appeal to women voters. Unlikely to win but could do better than expected.
Ed Milliband: Passionate left winger, surprising rise to pole position. Better than initially given credit for. Had the best audience appeal. Speaks with a mouth full of marbles.
David Milliband: More polished than the others, cool under questioning. Bad billiard ball haircut but Hillary Clinton likes him. International experience shows through.
So which of them will win. Which of them is best for the televisual age where all elections are won and fought and decided these days. Look what happened to Nick Clegg following his star turn on TV. He is now Deputy Prime Minister.
The only real choice here are the Millibands. Any of the others will set the Labour party back into obscure territory, although of the others Burnham is best. Abbott has no chance and although she managed to get a few rounds of cheap applause last night by saying the yawningly obvious about Tony Blair, she will still finish last. Balls's lack of charisma of any sort will finish him. He is well meaning but not leadership material and not televisual.
Im still edging towards David Milliband for overall victory, although should the younger more passionate of the Millibands win, Ed, it will be no hardship. He seems to take the people with him judging by what we saw here.
The politics of all of them is much the same, not a cigarette paper between them, all are anti-coalition and anti - cuts...as you would expect from an opposition. The winner will be announced in under ten days so hold onto your seat its going to be a high flying but bumpy ride.