How David Miliband got into Oxford and other tales

So, unless another brave soul declares themselves for the Labour leadership before the election deadline early next month, we have six runners and riders in the race to succeed Gordon Brown: Diane Abbott, Ed Balls, Andy Burnham, John McDonnell, David Miliband, and his younger brother, Ed Miliband.

That's alphabetical order, by the way. By neat coincidence, it's almost the exact reverse of what their chances are.

Diane Abbott says she's put herself forward because the others all look the same - male and white. Which is true, but does not deny the fact that Abbott, for all her charms, is now better known as one half of the political comedy duo 'Abbott and Portillo' on Andrew Neil's This Week show, rather than for her biting, left-wing presence in the Commons.

Still, there are Labour insiders who tell the Mole they're pleased she's entered the frame because it could become important that the party was given a genuine selection from which to make its pick. (Andy Burnham has put himself forward for much the same reason, saying he wanted "to get as many voices in the race and get a range of perspectives.")

Whether Abbott and John McDonnell can both get the all-important nomination of 33 MPs in order to move forward is less certain. Don't be surprised to see a deal between the two Left-wingers.

The truth is there's only one safe bet to put on at the bookies - that the next Labour leader will be called Ed or Miliband or both.

We've all read enough about Balls's ties with Unite, and whether he can escape the long shadow of Gordon Brown. And we know that David Miliband is considered too geeky and his brother Ed more personable. Or do we?

The Mole is indebted to the Camden New Journal for offering a fresh perspective. The north London paper hunted down the brothers' maths teacher, Oscar Gregan, from the days when when the two boys attended Haverstock School in Chalk Farm.

Gregan recalls meeting "this tiny little kid called David" who, he says, was not a natural, geeky mathematician - "Ed was more like that".

David was articulate and showed brilliant attention to detail, said his former teacher. But it was not his academic talents that won him a place at Oxford. "David got in on a scheme which enabled pupils from inner-city schools to gain unconditional offers if they impressed at interview."

Not surprisingly, given that he and Ed were the sons of the Marxist political theorist Ralph Miliband, David was already a political animal as a teenager.

"David was strongly left-wing," said his former teacher. "He took part in a radio programme on the Falklands invasion and, if I recall correctly, he was active in the Socialist Society. He used to campaign for John McDonnell."

Yes, the very same McDonnell standing against him now. ·