Labour leadership nominations close

The nominations for the Labour leadership are now closed, leaving us with 5 contenders: Ed Balls, David Miliband, Ed Miliband, Andy Burnham and Diane Abbott. John McDonnell withdrew earlier today and endorsed Diane Abbott, she also recieved a nomination from fellow leadership contender David Miliband.

The latest published polling on public preferences for the Labour leadership were in a YouGov poll for the Sunday Times at the end of last month, which had David Miliband leading on 23%, ahead of Diane Abbott on 9% and Ed Miliband on 8%. Amongst Labour voters, who may or may not be a better reflection of Labour members, David Miliband also led with 34%, ahead of Ed Miliband on 13%, Ed Balls on 10% and Diane Abbott on 7%.

Public preferences of course are largely a matter of recognition - it is worth remembering that in early polls of public prefences in the last Conservative leadership election David Cameron barely registered. What will be more insightful is when we start getting polling of the actual Labour party members and trade unionists who make up the non-Parliamentary part of the electoral college.

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