Who will be Labour’s cuts candidate?

As Guido and Jim Pickard have pointed out, Liam Byrne’s article in the Guardian today reads like the launch of a leadership bid.  But if it is, then it’s not a well-judged one.  Amid some sensible points about Labour’s demise, there’s too much “if we’d have done what I said” bravado which, I imagine, won’t go down well with the party faithful right now.  A bit like pouring vinegar on an open wound.

But it’s worth considering another angle to a Byrne leadership bid.  A couple of weeks ago, I wondered whether Brown’s departure would also take Labour away from the “investment vs cuts” dividing line of the past decade, towards a more responsible contribution to the fiscal debate.  In which case, it’s noteworthy that Byrne did a lot of backroom work in government to pave the way for cuts.  And, despite the occasional lapse, his rhetoric was relatively upfront on the issue.