Better The Devil You Don't Know

Ladywood MP Clare Short claims that David Miliband would be a lousy choice for Labour leader, partly because nobody has ever heard of him.

But nobody had heard of David Cameron before he stood for the Tory leadership. It was probably an advantage, as it helped him to present himself as someone who was changing his party.

If Labour does ditch Brown, or, indeed, if it keeps him but goes on to lose the next election, I think its best bet is also to go for a new face. Miliband's problem might actually be that he is too well known, and too associated with the current regime.

For example, there's Culture Secretary James Purnell, who I imagine can walk down the street more or less unrecognised.

Or how about a Minister who's not in the Cabinet? He won't thank me for this, but what about our very own Minister for the West Midlands, Liam Byrne (Hodge Hill)? Just throwing it out there . . .

Incidentally, although Clare Short has resigned the Labour whip and is not a member of the Parliamentary Labour Party, I think I'm right in saying that she is still a member of the Labour Party. If so, she'll get a vote in the leadership contest.