Ed Miliband

So, the Labour Party has a new leader and the attacks against him are around his links to the unions, ooh, the unions what with their desire to take society back to an age where people got decent wages and better terms and conditions, a golden age of prosperity that NEVER FUCKING EXISTED. Never mind that only 8.7% of votes cast were by the unions, but it sent out a clear message that just maybe Ed appealed to ordinary working people. Ordinary working people, you remember them, they serve you in supermarkets and build stuff that you use, they aren't as sexy as celebrities or millionaires and yet when they do pitch up and decide to do something, it gets done.

He talked about a living wage, in real terms on how it would be an actual win/win situation, for businesses and individuals - in particular when my industry, retail, has some 257k minimum wage jobs within its borders - all of which would benefit immensely from the implementation of the same.

He admitted New Labour made mistakes - which is a sign of maturity, and more importantly, did not lay the blame at any one individual and then apologised for it. I respect that, it is a good sign that there is a political leader who can admit to a mistake.

He talks about a foreign policy based on values, which might mean that we stop tolerating some of the ambient abuses that go on in the world and that our next government might stop propping dictators up.

He talks about limiting markets - which if previous governments had done so, would have prevented the financial collapse - ok, so a few less billionaires but we can all live with that.

He seems determined to break with the past, in a positive way.

Plus, for me, personally he seems willing to genuinely speak out against the old guard, not so willing to follow the paths set before him. I could be wrong, I sometimes believe I was fundamentally wrong on my support for Obama and hey it won't be down to me to determine whether he fails or succeeds. I look forward to hearing his views, and I hope he will take the best lessons of history and attach them to new ideas.