By, Jennifer Lipman
1 min read
ByJennifer Lipman, Jennifer Lipman
Ed Miliband has edged out his older brother to become the first contender for the Labour leadership with enough nominations to stand.
The former Energy and Climate Change Secretary is leading the six-way race to take charge of the Labour Party, having scooped up five more than the 38 signatures needed for a leadership bid.
But the 40-year-old will face a tough challenge in the contest, which will be decided at the Labour Party conference in September.
His brother, the former Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, 44, has now also been nominated formally, with Jewish MPs including Louise Ellman and Ivan Lewis among those backing him.
The Miliband brothers grew up in north London, with their father, the Marxist Jewish historian Ralph Miliband, known as one of the foremost left-wing thinkers of the time.
David, once an adviser to Tony Blair, is seen to have more centrist views than his brother, while Ed is considered to be more popular with core Labour voters.
Diane Abbott, whose constituency includes Stamford Hill, has also announced she will be standing.