Unions Won't Choose Labour Leader: Harman

The Electoral Reform Society is going to issue Labour leadership ballot papers so unions cannot skew their members' votes, Harriet Harman has said.

Labour's acting leader also announced that the candidates will be "stress-tested" by taking part in "robust, tough" televised hustings involving the public.

"Not the politically obsessed public, the people like us, but the people who don't decide about their choice of MP and choice of government until they have to," Ms Harman said as she outlined the electoral process at Labour's HQ in central London.

"We need to see this process as one that is not merely electing a new leader and deputy leader.

"But one that is helping to rebuild old connections and fashion new connections with a public that rejected us north and south."

Her speech comes after Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy reignited tensions over Labour's union links as he announced his resignation at the weekend.

He issued a stinging attack on Unite boss Len McCluskey, saying he should not be allowed to pick the party leader based on his own "grudges and grievances".

Mr McCluskey responded by issuing a veiled threat that union backing, which includes significant financial donations, was not unconditional and hinted Unite could switch its backing in Scotland to the SNP.

He also argued that the "arrogance" of Blairites such as Mr Murphy was responsible for the party’s failure at the General Election.

On Sunday, shadow health secretary Andy Burnham, who is Mr McCluskey's choice for the next leader, insisted he is the "change candidate" despite his union backing and links to Labour's past .

During her speech, Ms Harman promised "strict rules to ensure there is a level playing field for each one of the candidates".

She also focused on the "one-member-one-vote" system being used this election, which means all trade union members must become party members and each party member will get a vote.

Ed Miliband's leadership was plagued by the fact that his election was based not on party support, but on union support because of the party's "electoral college system", which gives a third of the vote to the unions.

His brother, David, had won greater support from members and MPs but did not have enough backing from the unions to secure the top job.

However, when leader, Mr Miliband oversaw the changes to the system, introducing the one-member-one-vote system.

Ms Harman will say: "Last time the unions communicated directly with many of their members, sending them ballot papers with accompanying material only mentioning one candidate.

"There will be none of that this time.

"The Electoral Reform Society will send out individual ballot papers to each member of the electorate.

"The winner of this election is not going to be the choice of the unions or any single section or faction of the Labour Party.

"He or she is going to be choice of the Labour Party."

Mr Burnham and his competitors - so far Yvette Cooper, Mary Creagh and Liz Kendall - are going take part in the televised clashes in front of audiences not made up of just Labour members.

Ms Harman said the contest that elected Ed Miliband in 2010 was within "Labour's comfort zone".

"We were talking to ourselves," she said.

"We have to look outwards and stress-test our candidates with the public. So I want to see party meetings where members bring non-members.

"Where someone who voted Labour brings along someone who voted Tory or SNP, or didn't vote at all. We need robust, tough televised hustings which involve the public."