The contest to succeed former British prime minister Gordon Brown as Labour Party leader is growing pace today.
Former schools secretary Ed Balls said today he will decide “in due course” whether to mount a challenge to David Miliband for the post. Mr Balls said he would sound out party colleagues before making a formal announcement.
Meanwhile former foreign secretary Mr Miliband, who yesterday became the first Labour figure to throw his hat into the ring, said he wanted “as many candidates as possible” to contest the leadership. He also said he has talked to his younger brother Ed about the possibility of him staging a rival bid.
The cerebral, articulate Mr Miliband (44) is strong favourite with the bookmakers to take over as leader of the party.
The leadership race is likely to turn into a battle between the left and right wings of the party, both of which will read different lessons into its defeat at the polls.
Mr Balls told BBC News today the Labour Party wants a “proper debate” about the lessons which need to be learned after the election. “There’s got to be a proper debate, people want a proper debate and I’m going to take that very seriously,” he said.
“I’m talking to people in the parliamentary party and in the wider country too and I will decide in due course.”
Mr Balls, a close ally of Mr Brown, faced a tough fight to win his Morley and Outwood seat with a majority of just over 1,000 at last week’s election. .
Mr Miliband will speak to Labour activists in Harrow and Worcester today as he attempts to build support for his leadership bid.
“The key when you have been rebuffed by the electorate, because after all we did lose this election, the most important thing is to show a degree of humility, a degree of commitment and a degree of engagement with the concerns, the fears, the aspirations that people have,” he told Sky News.
“We have got a new government, they will have time to settle in. We have got to make sure that we are ready to revive the Labour Party and be ready to provide an alternative government as soon as is necessary.”
Former justice secretary Jack Straw, seen as an outside contender to replace Mr Brown, said he would not be running in the leadership contest. "I've had my 13th year on the front bench, 23 years since I was first elected to the shadow cabinet so I've had a good innings," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "No-one can persuade me."
Former interior minister Alan Johnson, who had been seen as potentially a strong challenger, said yesterday he would not be running and threw his support behind David Miliband.
A timeframe for the election process has not yet been set by Labour’s National Executive Committee, but it is expected to be concluded before the party’s September conference.
Other possible contenders for the leadership include former health secretary Andy Burnham and popular backbencher Jon Cruddas.
PA