I see that, in announcing her candidacy for the Labour leadership, Diane Abbott explained: 'I looked at the field and said "If not now, when?" And "If not me, who?"' Would it be unkind in response to the second question to say someone else?
In a post on Comment is Free Simon Woolley purports to make a case for Abbott. The case he makes mentions the need, in the leadership contest, for 'a diversity of candidates and an even greater diversity of views'; says that Abbott is a woman and 'a long-standing community campaigner' with frontline trade-union experience; speaks of earlier battles fought. But it fails to address two things: (a) whether Diane Abbott has, or is likely to be able to develop in fairly short order, qualities of leadership; and (b) whether she has a persuasively authoritative presence as a public figure. I must say I have my doubts on both scores. After Gordon Brown, Labour would do well not to make light of the public persona aspect of the issue.