Ed Balls confirmed today that he was "fighting to win" the Labour leadership contest, as his campaign suffered a major blow when he failed to secure the backing of the Unite union.
The decision by the political committee of Unite to back Ed Miliband means the shadow climate change secretary enters the summer recess with the backing of Britain's three largest trade unions. Unison and the GMB have also endorsed Miliband.
The vote by Unite is a blow to Balls, who had hoped to win the support of a union whose political director is a long-standing ally and former Gordon Brown ally, Charlie Whelan. Balls won only four votes on the Unite political committee – Miliband won 24 – after it decided the shadow climate change secretary had the best chance of beating his brother and rival in the race, David.
Balls accused the union of focusing on "factional" party politics, adding that Ed Miliband was seen by Unite as the man to beat his older brother. "The question in the end that Unite decided was that Ed Miliband was the best person to beat David Miliband," Balls told BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend. "This is not about internal factional issues in the Labour party, the question is: who is the best person to beat David Cameron and Nick Clegg."
The decision by the leaders of trade unions technically has no effect on the leadership race. Under Labour's one member one vote rules, individual trade unionists are free to vote for whichever candidate they prefer. But the advice from the leadership can sway members.
Trade unionists account for one third of the vote in Labour's three electoral colleges. The other two elements are MPs and MEPs and constituency Labour parties. Balls, who has won the support of the Communication Workers Union, says his campaign has suffered because he has spent most of his time fighting the Tories on education in the Commons. He added: "The reason why I came into this contest in the first place, the reason why I am here fighting hard, is that I think on judgment and on campaigning and on strength of character I am the person to do that. I am fighting to the end and I am fighting to win."