Former cabinet minister Ed Balls and left-winger John McDonnell declared their candidacies today, joining David and Ed Miliband in the contest to succeed Gordon Brown. Former health secretary Andy Burnham is expected to declare his intention to stand tomorrow.
Launching his campaign, Balls said: "I'm going to put my name in for the Labour party leadership. I think it's really important we don't just talk to ourselves, we've got to hear what the country's got to say. I think we've got to listen first, hear what the public say. That is what's going to be at the centrepiece of my campaign" [yep, that should do it, Ed].
UPDATE 20/05/10 at 8.00 - Former health secretary Andy Burnham says he wants to stand for Labour leader and "rebuild the party for new times". He told the Daily Mirror newspaper the party owed a "debt of thanks" to Gordon Brown and Tony Blair but said he would end "stage-managed" politics. He said Labour had to understand voters' sense of "unfairness" and that Labour lost because they felt "our priorities were not their priorities".
UPDATE 20/05/10 at 8.00 - Former health secretary Andy Burnham says he wants to stand for Labour leader and "rebuild the party for new times". He told the Daily Mirror newspaper the party owed a "debt of thanks" to Gordon Brown and Tony Blair but said he would end "stage-managed" politics. He said Labour had to understand voters' sense of "unfairness" and that Labour lost because they felt "our priorities were not their priorities".
