The Newsnight Labour leadership debate

Watching this somewhat after the event.

Thoughts:
Andy Burnham wears too much eye make-up, or he has lovely eyes.
Has Ed Miliband developed a speech impediment or has he always had a slightly camp lithp? Also has he put on weight and why the ... odd ... pauses?
David Miliband genuine and a believer in Climate Change!
Diane Abbott - surely the turn the page and close the book candidate.
Ed Balls - Spouting the same claptrack and without any real conviction.

Why do I find myself thinking of Month Python's 4 Yorkshiremen sketch when I hear four well spoken candidates competing to be prolier than thou?


The courage to stand against Gordon Brown question and Ed Miliband obviously thinks that being loyal to Gordon Brown was a good thing as the PM destroyed the country. Ed Balls talking about Gordon Brown "Without him the world would have gone into depression", no sniggers, no "oh come off its" just passive acceptance from the audience and more importantly the impartial Jeremy Paxman. And then later "the most searing events the world has seen in the last century"!


Not all spending is investment Diane. And wants to look at a wealth tax.

David Miliband ignores the point about who caused the deficit and also thinks that growth is the achievable answer.

Ed Miliband wants to discuss fairness but wants the 50% tax rate for more than one parliament.

Andy Burnham defends increased government spending on the NHS as though it was right to do it whatever the cost.

Now the "halve the deficit in 4 years promise" but no quizzing as a) how and b) where that leaves the national debt - still rising being the answer to that one.

Increasing VAT should have been ruled out says Ed Balls but refuses to accept any blame and makes the claim that "I never wanted to be Chancellor"; hysterical but not picked up by Paxman.

Ed Miliband saying we should look forward and not discuss the past reminds me of a school swot whining "It's not fair".

Iraq:

David Miliband has started to look older since the general election, not sleeping too well without the armed police outside his house 24/7?

David Miliband also does the Gordon Brown smiling superiorly at what others are saying, 'it ain't big and it ain't clever'.


Euro:

Diane Abbott makes sense on the Euro.

Ed Miliband accepts that they made a mistake on new entrants.



Is the state too big:
Ed Balls wants a big state and uses 'right-wing' as a pejorative
Andy Burnham avoids the question with just one example
David Miliband accepts the State got too big in some areas but not all
Ed - Why is the Country spending too much on unemployment?


Is the state too centralised:
Ed M, David M and Andy Burnham - Yes
Diane & Ed B - No

David M accepts that Labour lost the South of England but not why


Civil Liberties:
David M - Wrong on 90 days
Andy Burnham defends ID Cards & the DNA database
Diane Abbott doesn't
Ed Miliband wants to look at the bigger picture as does David M - it's always good to talk big and ignore the 'small' bad things


Best leader or should have been:
What are David M and Ed Balls talking about whilst Ed M is answering? Oh got it David M misunderstood the question but only realised it rather late in the day. That made him look intelligent didn't it. That video of him looking confused should be played whenever he tries to look intelligent. Like his brother earlier he has the petulant look of "it's not fair, the rules weren't explained properly".


Football Question to see if you are a man/woman of the people, I presume none of them will be brave enough to say I don't care about football that much:
And none did!


Not very impressive are they? A couple of wonks, a thug trying to be nice, a professional northerner and a hypocrite.