Labour's Would-Be Leader and the Liberals Would-Be Chancellor

A couple of items picked up. David Miliband was apparently all ready last night to announce his candidacy for the Labour leadership. Certainly the well-connected Paul Waugh of the Evening Standard was tweeting along those lines before the Cabinet meeting. Miliband is apparently keen to gain momentum and to make up for the hesitancy which has marked his previous leadership 'bids'. Alas, this time the Cabinet put paid to his opportunity, as they demanded that no contenders announce their candidacy while the Lib Dem discussions were going on. Guido Fawkes has been blogging about the build up of a Miliband team.

Meanwhile, over in the orange corner, the Telegraph reports tension at the top of the Liberal Democratic Party. Noticeable for his absence from the Conservative negotiations has been Vince Cable, the former Labour man turned SDP member. Cable is one of those opposed to a Conservative deal, and there is also apparently tension anyway between him and the man who succeeded him when he was a mere 'acting' leader of the party. Also in the Labour camp, so reports have it, are former leaders Ashdown and Menzies Campbell - Campbell, of course, is a friend of Gordon Brown's anyway.