I have been besieged with phonecalls on recent days asking why I did not vote in the Labour leadership contest. Despite an earlier mistake with the listing of my name on the Labour Party website masking my vote I am proud to say that Ed Miliband was and remains, my first choice for party leader.

He and his brother are not the Cain and Abel of the 21^st century. Nor is Ed necessarily red. He is however, passionately committed to our people and country, and will be the best leader to defeat the coalition Government in its proposed unbridled attacks on both.