I would vote Diane Abbott for Leader of the Labour Party‏

Labour are looking for a high profile candidate that the people like. Then Labour MP's should look no further than Diane Abbott MP. She is popular with the public and increased her majority to one of Labours highest. Diane Abbott comes across as a 'real person' with strong views and not a career politician despite being an MP for 23 years.

It is a real shame then that Diane is unlikely to even get passed the first phase. Many of course would of had their favourites of the expected candidates and would not of expected Diane to stand which would effect her nominations.

Diane recently said that the nominations threshold is "ridiculous" and was designed to "strangle the left", see here. This is because Charles Clarke designed the current system under Neil Kinnock and he boasted to Diane that he had devised it precisely to block the Left. Under the current system candidates need 33 nominations,Which is 1/8th of the currently party. This appears to now be all but impossible with so many MP's already nominating David Miliband, Ed Miliband and Ed Balls and now Andy Burnham.

Diane Abbott is also different in many ways to the New Labourites listed above. No not because she is black or a woman but because she voted against polices she did not agree with and now doesn't need to be seen as making u-turns on Europe or immigration as Diane has a tack record of not always backing New Labour.

Of course not enough Labour MP's will get behind Diane. Many of course would of had their favourites of the expected candidates and would not of expected Diane to stand which would effect her nominations.  The other reason is because this will single them out to be rebels and they may not find jobs on the shadow cabinet once the New Labour leader is selected.

I believe the other Labour women simply did not stand because they thought they would not of gained the nominations. Surely 33 MP's is too high and this should be perhaps a percentage of Labour MP's say 5%. which would be about 13 MP's at the moment.

I think Next Labour or New Next Labour shouldn't move too far to the right otherwise we may find that they will shoot right past the Liberal Democrats or only the Greens end up being the choice of the Left or leave the Left with no choice. Labour do need this debate but at the moment the 'debate' is looking more and more one sided.

Todays link is to Left Foot Forward which has an article on Labour leadership candidates line up to attack Coalition over cuts.