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[/audioplayer]Ed Miliband has his legacy. Or, at least, what he hopes will be the first part of it. He has succeeded in scrapping the system by which he was elected Labour leader. Gone is the electoral college split three ways between MPs, trade unions and ordinary party members. It has been replaced by a one-member, one-vote system. This will be simpler and more democratic. It will mean that unions can’t send out ballot papers with leaflets telling people who to vote for, and nobody will have the advantage of wielding multiple votes.
Considering how dramatic these changes are, it’s surprising that they haven’t caused more of a row. That union bosses are going along with them has created a suspicion that in reality, if not in theory, the reforms will strengthen their influence. Both the Tories and the Liberal Democrats have been busy trying to fan this particular flame.
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