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Tristram Hunt attacks 'timid' Miliband strategy as he mulls leader bid Tristram Hunt backs Liz Kendall for Labour leadership
(about 11 hours later)
Ed Miliband's "timid" rejection of radical ideas lost Labour the election, possible leadership contender Tristram Hunt is to say in a speech. Tristram Hunt has said he does not plan to run for Labour Party leader, instead giving his backing to Liz Kendall.
Mr Miliband was said to have pursued a 35% strategy - focusing on core Labour voters and disaffected Lib Dems and hoping UKIP would sink the Tories. Mr Hunt said he could not be confident of enough support from fellow MPs to launch a bid.
But Mr Hunt will say Labour needed a "100% strategy" that was "broad-based" and "forward-looking". He also questioned the timescale of the leadership process, saying it had been "almost decided" within five days of the election.
He is expected to reveal whether he will stand for leader or not. Ms Kendall, Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper and Mary Creagh have put themselves forward for the leadership.
Four candidates have so far put their names forward to succeed Mr Miliband. Candidates must get the support of 35 of the party's MPs in order to stand in the contest, which will be decided in September.
Candidates must get the support of 35 Labour MPs in order to stand in the contest, which will be decided in September. In a speech in London, Mr Hunt said he had "made a lot of calls" to other MPs, but said many of them were already committed to "just a small number of candidates", saying he found it surprising this had happened so soon after the "devastating" election defeat.
Sources close to Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper and Liz Kendall have suggested they will be able to clear that hurdle. Mary Creagh is the other candidate to have entered the race so far. Ms Kendall, he said, would be able to confront the "big challenges" facing Labour and would have the "leadership mettle" to succeed.
'Political courage' He also criticised Ed Miliband's "timid" approach to the election.
In a speech in London, Mr Hunt - a historian who entered Parliament in 2010 - will become the latest senior figure to criticise Labour's approach over the past five years, saying the party was too timid and tied itself up in a "strategic strait jacket". Mr Miliband, who resigned after Labour's election defeat, was said to have pursued a 35% strategy - focusing on core Labour voters and disaffected Lib Dems and hoping UKIP would sink the Tories.
While Labour was not short of ideas about how to reduce inequality, promote economic regeneration and to empower communities, he will say, the party lacked the "political courage" to make the case for them. Mr Hunt said Labour needed a "100% strategy" that was "broad-based" and "forward-looking".
He will say Labour must adopt a "100% strategy" to win back votes in the south of England, the north of England and Scotland - a reference to the so-called "35% strategy" reportedly adopted by Ed Miliband focused on the party's core supporters. 'Out of step'
Merely "rediscovering Labour's beating heart" will not revive the party's electoral fortunes, he will say. He urged the party not to "turn inwards" and said merely "rediscovering Labour's beating heart" would not revive the party's electoral fortunes.
He will suggest that what is needed is a return to the combination of economic discipline and social renewal that won Labour three election victories under Tony Blair, describing this as a "winning argument". He suggested that what was needed was a return to the combination of economic discipline and social renewal that won Labour three election victories under Tony Blair, describing this as a "winning argument".
"Not since 1983 have we been so out of step with the prevailing mood of the nation," he will tell an event at the think tank Demos. "Not since 1983 have we been so out of step with the prevailing mood of the nation," he told the event at the think tank Demos.
"But worse still, for perhaps the first time, we now face an electoral battle across three distinct fronts: the rise of nationalism in Scotland, a lack of trust in our traditional English heartlands and loss of confidence in Middle England.""But worse still, for perhaps the first time, we now face an electoral battle across three distinct fronts: the rise of nationalism in Scotland, a lack of trust in our traditional English heartlands and loss of confidence in Middle England."
'Single mission' Mr Hunt, a historian and the MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central, said Labour had "collectively dithered" on the question of devolving powers to other parts of England.
Labour, he will argue, will not regain trust by tailoring its message to different parts of the UK but must embrace a "single mission" - underpinned by new thinking on welfare, childcare and powers to the English regions - to show people that the party is on their side. "The shadow cabinet was not united" when the Conservatives proposed new powers for Greater Manchester and other northern cities, he said, calling for "big and bold English devolution".
Ideas he will float include: Mr Hunt also said Labour should consider freezing or reducing child benefit for school-age children to pay for a "universal right to free childcare" for all parents of two-year olds.
All the contenders are setting out their stalls, with Mr Burnham - described as the "unifying" candidate by his supporters - calling for a referendum on the EU to be brought forward to 2016 and for an end to new free schools. And he said the party "could and should" have prepared for tougher economic conditions during its time in government.
All the leadership contenders are setting out their stalls, with Mr Burnham - described as the "unifying" candidate by his supporters - calling for a referendum on the EU to be brought forward to 2016 and for an end to new free schools.
Ms Cooper, meanwhile, has said Labour must rethink its approach to business by dropping its opposition to corporation-tax cuts and consulting more closely with business leaders before developing new policies.Ms Cooper, meanwhile, has said Labour must rethink its approach to business by dropping its opposition to corporation-tax cuts and consulting more closely with business leaders before developing new policies.
'No quick fix''No quick fix'
Ms Kendall has won the backing of former minister Pat McFadden, who said she best understood that "Labour wins when it gives a positive, hopeful, optimistic story of the country's future as well as just collecting a set of causes and grievances". Ms Kendall has also won the backing of former minister Pat McFadden, who said she best understood that "Labour wins when it gives a positive, hopeful, optimistic story of the country's future as well as just collecting a set of causes and grievances".
Sir Keir Starmer, the former Director of Public Prosecutions who is now a Labour MP, told the BBC that he had not decided who to back but the party needed a "fully-formed leader able to hit the ground running from the very start".Sir Keir Starmer, the former Director of Public Prosecutions who is now a Labour MP, told the BBC that he had not decided who to back but the party needed a "fully-formed leader able to hit the ground running from the very start".
Amid concerns that established candidates are hoovering up support among MPs, he told Newsnight "people are very quick to tell you who is going to win" but it was a long campaign and those standing needed to face up to the harsh realities of Labour's position.Amid concerns that established candidates are hoovering up support among MPs, he told Newsnight "people are very quick to tell you who is going to win" but it was a long campaign and those standing needed to face up to the harsh realities of Labour's position.
"We cannot paper over the cracks," he said."We cannot paper over the cracks," he said.
"There is no point in a quick fix which presents itself as unity but is not unity... We need to have that open debate and be brave enough to ask difficult questions and to see what answers are coming to us from outside our party.""There is no point in a quick fix which presents itself as unity but is not unity... We need to have that open debate and be brave enough to ask difficult questions and to see what answers are coming to us from outside our party."
A number of other prominent Labour MPs, including Dan Jarvis, Alan Johnson and David Lammy, have ruled themselves out of the race, while Chuka Umunna withdrew three days after entering the contest, citing concerns about media scrutiny of his family.A number of other prominent Labour MPs, including Dan Jarvis, Alan Johnson and David Lammy, have ruled themselves out of the race, while Chuka Umunna withdrew three days after entering the contest, citing concerns about media scrutiny of his family.