Brothers all? The operation of the electoral college in the 2010 labour leadership contest

Abstract

This article analyses the wealth of data released by the Labour Party on its 2010 leadership election. We uncover the way in which the list of candidates was expanded via the initial nomination process in the parliamentary Labour Party and highlight the artificiality of some candidacies. We find little evidence in the voting data to support the belief that the Miliband brothers represented two sides of an ideological divide but highlight the profound importance of union nominations in the overall outcome. In the process, our analysis raises significant questions about the practical viability and normative desirability of the electoral college. © 2012 The Author. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Hansard Society; all rights reserved.