Published: May 30th 2010 - at 9:00 am

David Miliband calls for leadership TV debate


by Sunny Hundal    

David Miliband has written to the five other Labour leadership contenders asking them to join him in a TV debate on the Labour leadership.

The Observer reports today:

“This leadership election must be a credit to the Labour party,” he tells them. “It should also be our chance to re-engage the public so we can both understand why we lost but also to show how we will win back their trust. Therefore we should use every opportunity to engage the widest possible audience. The TV debate fired up interest in the election – and could be an excellent way to re-engage people with Labour.

Potentially risky, as Toby Helm says, but I’d wager that David Miliband won’t do so badly if such a debate goes ahead.

He might come across slightly stunted in speeches and in person but the elder Miliband has always been quite articulate in debates.

But it would definitely force a wider debate that with two strident left-wing voices – I’m all for it.


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About the author
Sunny Hundal is editor of LC. Also: on Twitter, at Pickled Politics and Guardian CIF.
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Reader comments


The question remains as to who would want to broadcast such a programme. Is Labour planning its own TV channel, like BNP-TV?

2. Nick Cohen is a Tory

It will be on oops TV or Britain’s got no talent or Over the rainbow.
What a stupid idea ?
Again style over substance
What is needed is new way of electing a leader working towards one vote for each member including union members who pay for the party.
We need a registered voting system like the states.

So who would represent the Tories and Lib Dems in this circus?

Or were you thinking of getting hours of one-sided free political braodcasting coverage paid for by the rest of us through the TV Tax??

Leadership debates – of a sort – have been held for other parties recently, and for the Labour Deputy Leadership.


Reactions: Twitter, blogs
  1. Liberal Conspiracy

    David Miliband calls for leadership TV debate http://bit.ly/9BnoY1

  2. Martin Mayer

    David Miliband calls for leadership TV debate | Liberal Conspiracy http://ht.ly/17yeld

  3. Tank the Tories

    Has Miliband D lost the plot? The Labour leadership should NOT be a national media circus. Shocking idea http://bit.ly/9BnoY1 via @libcon

  4. Bruce Kentey

    David Miliband calls for leadership TV debate | Liberal Conspiracy: “This leadership election must be a credit to … http://bit.ly/ag54Xz

  5. Rachael Wardell

    RT @libcon: David Miliband calls for leadership TV debate http://bit.ly/9BnoY1 >>Nugget! Who'd watch? Post it on YouTube maybe….

  6. Tweets that mention David Miliband calls for leadership TV debate | Liberal Conspiracy -- Topsy.com

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Liberal Conspiracy, Martin Mayer. Martin Mayer said: David Miliband calls for leadership TV debate | Liberal Conspiracy http://ht.ly/17yeld [...]

  7. Tank the Tories

    NOOOOO! It is not for non party members to decide or interfere RT @libcon David Miliband calls for leadership TV debate http://bit.ly/9BnoY1

  8. Rebecca Powers

    David Miliband calls for leadership TV debate | Liberal Conspiracy: “This leadership election must be a credit to … http://bit.ly/bHRJB4





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