Uk election: Labour gets ready for battle of the bros

Ed Miliband may stand against his elder brother, David, in the Labour leadership election.

David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, and Ed Balls, the Schools Secretary, had been seen as the two front-runners to succeed Gordon Brown.

But friends of Ed Miliband, the Energy and Climate Change Secretary, made it clear he is considering whether to throw his hat into the ring.

Close allies said he wanted the Labour Party to have "the widest possible choice" to ensure it used the contest to have a wide-ranging debate on ideas.

They said there was no need for him to make an early decision and that his focus was on the talks with the Liberal Democrats on a possible Lib-Labour coalition. He was involved in informal discussions with the Liberal Democrats over the weekend.

A "battle of the brothers" between the two sons of late Marxist academic Ralph Miliband would add another twist to what already promises to be a fascinating contest.

Supporters of David believe it is his "turn" and argue Ed lacks the experience of a senior post such as the Foreign Office, saying his time will come.

However, Ed has grown in stature in his climate change brief and attracted growing support on the Labour back benches. His backers argue David lost support by failing to strike against Brown during the three failed coups against him before the general election. "He has missed his chance," one said.

Labour's new leader will be chosen by the time of the party's annual conference in Manchester in September.

The electoral college gives a third of the votes each to Labour MPs, the trade unions and party members. As potential rivals eyed each other when the Cabinet met in Downing St yesterday, Brown aides said they did not want candidates to declare immediately or to start campaigning while the country remained in limbo. But such hopes looked forlorn as friends of some candidates spoke openly about their intention to run.

One government insider said: "The next leader will be called Ed or Miliband.

"No, let me correct that. He will be called Miliband or Miliband."

Yvette Cooper, the Work and Pensions Secretary, who is married to Balls, might have entered the leadership race if he had lost his Morley and Outwood seat last week, but he survived and she will not stand against him.

That will put pressure on Harriet Harman, Labour's deputy leader, to run for the top job so that there is a female contender.

But friends signalled that she was unlikely to stand, on the grounds that the torch should pass to a younger generation.

Brown will not endorse any candidate. Nor will Lord Peter Mandelson, the Business Secretary and unofficial Deputy Prime Minister.

- INDEPENDENT