Somewhat surprisingly, Ed Miliband has won the Labour leadership contest. Despite most Labour MPs and many ordinary Labour members wanting David Miliband to win, the trade union votes enabled young Ed to win by one per cent. Truly a case of “Red Ed” and a blast from the past.

Ed Miliband is possibly a true socialist and that, coupled with his TUC support, will hopefully mean no further Labour government of Britain for a long, long time. Ed was quick to distance himself from the very unpopular Iraq war, but he is less keen to accept his part in how the last Labour government almost bankrupted the UK and left us in the current horrendous mess. I do not want a Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Green coalition, and especially not a Labour government of the UK, and Ed Miliband’s talk of a new generation, and a real change, is pure hogwash, and impossible until we leave the EU. What does EM think he is going to change and into what?

Cameron and Clegg are bad enough, but the thought of EM is even worse.

David Quarrie, Lynden Way, Acomb, York.



• I voted for Ed Miliband to be Labour’s new leader and am pleased at the result. Ed has my congratulations.

He has drawn a line under this contest and he will move Labour forward united as a team. He recognises Labour lost people’s trust at the last General Election and we were seen as no longer on the side of hardworking people. He recognises our party must change and work hard to regain this trust.

Locally, I also recognise the reasons why we lost control of York council in 2003 and why we did not regain control in 2007. I will soon be putting to York residents the case why a Labour council would be better than the current Liberal Democrat administration. People will make their choice between a Labour or Liberal Democrat council at the local elections in May next year. Ed said: “A new generation has taken charge of Labour, a new generation that understands the call of change.” I understand this call and as a member of Labour’s new generation I am locally changing Labour in the interests of hardworking people.

Coun James Alexander, Leader of City of York Council’s Labour Opposition Group, Holgate Road, Holgate, York.