Simon Danczuk MP

Fighting for Rochdale, Littleborough and Milnrow

David Miliband wins Rochdale vote to take on Coalition

David Miliband is the people of Rochdale’s choice to become the next leader of the Labour Party and take the fight to the Conservative-Lib Dem Government.

The Shadow Foreign Secretary was the unanimous choice in a town centre survey carried out by party members last Friday to find out who local people would prefer as Labour’s next leader. In a survey asking 241 local residents which candidate they preferred, David Miliband was backed by 41 per cent of votes with Diane Abbott coming second with a share of 24 per cent.

As the Labour leadership contest enters its final week after months of debate and campaigning, Rochdale’s Labour MP, Simon Danczuk, said the result showed that local people wanted someone who was experienced, strong and capable to lead an effective opposition.

“I think many people are shocked by what the Con-Lib-Dem coalition has done in such a short period of time in office,” he said. “Breaking up the NHS, kicking tenants out of council housing and hiking up VAT to 20 per cent is a pretty worrying taste of what’s to come and they’ve only been in power a few months. For democracy to function well we need a strong opposition party and it’s clear to me that David Miliband is the one person David Cameron fears.

“He has obvious leadership qualities, has managed some of the top jobs in Government and has the energy, ideas and values to renew the Labour Party and hold the Government to account. Gillian Duffy has already said she thinks he is the ideal person to lead Labour and that view seems to be reflected among other local people too.”