Tom Richmond: The next Prime Minister may not be who you think

WHO will be the next Prime Minister of Great Britain?

In the week that Labour elected – with the help of the unions – the charismatic Doncaster North MP Ed Miliband as its next leader, the answer should be fairly obvious.

Yet politics is perverse and Miliband, who is not as Left-wing as many contend when using the unhelpful "Red Ed" moniker, was being written off by many in his own party – and the media – within 24 hours of beating his older and more experienced rival for the leadership.

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Two of the kinder comparisons were "Michael Foot without the duffel coat" – a reference to the last "Left-winger" to lead Labour – and "Labour's Iain Duncan Smith", a comparison to the likable, but eurosceptic Tory who briefly led his party when it was at its most mutinous.

Having assessed that Gordon Brown's premiership was doomed because he had no plan of action when he moved into 10 Downing Street, in contrast to 1997 when he hit the ground running as Chancellor, Miliband is going to have to move swiftly to squash these prejudices, and before others question whether the wrong brother was chosen as leader.

Perversely, he is, however, not the only leader with questions to answer.

Though David Cameron has made a smooth and effective transition into power, and will address his party conference for the first time next week as Prime Minister, there are many on his party's Right wing who resent the coalition with the Liberal Democrats and the softening of various policies like law and order and defence. It is a question of when these rebels choose to strike.

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The same also applies to Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg. Though he clearly finds power infectious, and is enjoying his new-found responsibility as Deputy Prime Minister, his own party remains twitchy, at best, about the alliance with the Tories. This unease will only grow when the Comprehensive Spending Review is unveiled next month.

Can he survive this, and the onslaught of Labour and the unions who believe the Lib Dems are an easier target than Cameron and co?

Unlike past slumps when it was clear that Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair would eventually inherit the keys to Number 10, politics is entering a great period of uncertainty.

My hunch is that the economy will pick up after 2012 if the London Olympics is a success and generates a feel-good factor. Labour's economic policies would look out of sync, unless Miliband stands up to his union supporters. That would lead to Cameron winning a second General Election in 2015.

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On that basis, the next PM may not be a current member of the present Cabinet or Opposition front bench. I have asked several experts this week "who will be the next PM?" and they have all hesitated, even more so since Ed Miliband's faltering start to his leadership.

One view, with increased calls for women to play a more prominent role in politics, is that at least one of the parties will have a female leader in five years time, hence why Justine Greening, the Rotherham-born Treasury minister, and Rachel Reeves, the Bank of England economist and newly-elected West Leeds MP, are two names to watch.

But, conversely, it would not be a surprise if the coalition collapsed and Ed Miliband walked into Downing Street, despite the unjust vitriol of the past week. Or Miliband's leadership fails, and his disenchanted brother David comes to Labour's rescue ahead of the next election.

Just be prepared for the unexpected.

AT his recent book signing in Leeds, Peter Mandelson was asked about his employment status. The former Business Secretary replied that he was "unemployed".

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Now we know why. He is evidently still being paid 8,600 a month by the European Union, despite giving up his Trade Commissioner's post two years ago to prop up Gordon Brown's government.

Under his severance package, he is still entitled to claim this money until October next year – unless he gets a job that pays more than his 205,000 Brussels rate. And, evidently, the money accrued from his book, The Third Man, does not count. Nice work if you can get it.

NO wonder the Government is frequently accused of overlooking Yorkshire's interests.

When a colleague telephoned those quangos that are on the coalition's closure hit list to establish if they employ any people in the region, it became a bit much for an individual at the Energy Saving Trust.

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She started to look at a map before saying: "Um, whereabouts is Yorkshire, you know, in the wider scheme of things?"

It looks like the Government has plenty of work to do if it is going to rebalance the economy. Ministers could start by educating their staff that the world doesn't end at Watford.

IN a dreary discussion about the country's fastest speakers that neither entertained, nor informed, the name of the "late Sir Peter O'Sullevan" was suggested on BBC Five Live.

Unlike the BBC, I am happy to point out that the former Voice of Racing is still in grand order at the age of 92, was a welcome and sprightly guest at Doncaster's recent St Leger meeting and intends to drive to Paris tomorrow for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe – Europe's richest horse race.

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Thirteen years after his last commentary, Sir Peter is still revered

in racing circles. The same will not be said about those Five Live presenters who seem very well informed about nothing, including the wellbeing of an unflappable racing legend who graced the BBC's airwaves

with poise, accuracy and modesty for 50 years.