THE OBSERVER: Party's influential elder statesman shuns favourite David Miliband, saying that his brother has greater leadership qualities
The race for the Labour leadership explodes into life today as the party's revered elder statesman and former leader, Neil Kinnock, shuns the favourite, David Miliband, and formally endorses his younger brother, Ed.
In an exclusive interview with the Observer Kinnock, who led Labour from 1983 to 1992, says Ed Miliband has all the vital gifts necessary to put the party back in power and possesses more leadership qualities than his brother. "I would say he has got the X-Factor, especially where the X is the sign you put on the voting slip at election time."
Asked directly if Ed is better suited to the job of Labour leader than David, Kinnock replies: "Yeah." While he insists that he admires and rates David "very highly", he adds: "In addition to his [David's] high intelligence I think the party needs leadership qualities, and Ed's got more of them."
The former party's leader's decision to go public is a serious setback to the former foreign secretary, who is seen by some in the party as lacking the common touch and to be too closely associated with the Tony Blair era. >>> Toby Helm, political editor | Sunday, May 23, 2010
