The race to replace former Labour leader -- and now former Prime Minister -- Gordon Brown has finally gotten started, as former Foreign Secretary David Miliband has declared his candidacy for the job.
As Labour leader, Miliband will aim to be prepared to defeat Prime Minister David Cameron and return to office as immediately as possible.
Miliband has long been a fast-rising mover-and-shaker within the Labour Party. Before even winning a Parliamentary seat, Miliband was a key policy advisor. After winning election 2001 he quickly ascended to first the office of Environment Secretary, then to the Foreign Office.
Miliband insists that Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats' move to reject a coalition overture from Labour and instead align with the Cameron Conservatives has left Labour as Britain's last true voice for social justice.
“The decision of the Liberal Democrats to join a Conservative Government is a momentous one," Miliband insisted. "It creates an enormous responsibility for the Labour Party, revitalised in the right way, to represent all shades of progressive opinion and present itself as an alternative government. That is the task in front of us.”
But if Miliband is to win the Labour leadership, he may have to overcome an extremely familiar opponent: his brother, Ed Miliband.
Like David, Ed Miliband also has experience in cabinet, having served as Energy Secretary in Brown's government.
While other individuals, such as Ed Balls and Andy Burham, have also been described as likely candidates (Alan Johnson previously made some noise about seeking the Labour leadership, but has seemingly relented and backed the elder Miliband), many observers seem to believe that the Labour leadership will ultiamtely be decided between the Miliband brothers.
The rivalry between the two brothers -- likely simmering gently since childhood -- should make the Labour leadership campaign very interesting.
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