LABOUR LEADERSHIP CAMPAIGN

Interview with Dr Justin Greaves, Department of Politics and International Studies

Dr Justin Greaves, PAIS, gives his perspective on the campaign in an interview with Amy McLeod.

The Labour leadership election campaign will end tomorrow when the winner is announced at the party's annual conference which is being held, this year, in Manchester. Dr Greaves has been following the campaign closely and thinks that the credibility of Labour as an opposition party will be determined by the result; realistically this is a contest between the two Miliband brothers and he argues that it is David, not Ed, that could take Labour back into serious contention.

The 19 members of the Shadow Cabinet will then be decided upon by a vote and the results on Saturday could give pundits an insight into who will make it to the table. Dr Greaves highlights, interestingly, that if Ed Miliband does take the position as party leader it will mean that his older brother will have to work underneath him, and given David's clear hunger and ambition for the top job, this could create tension. In addition, perhaps the extra exposure that Diane Abbott has gathered in the past few months will mean that she will secure her first top-level position in government.