Sibling rivalry: How Ed and David Miliband line up

Ed Miliband Unique selling point Ed Miliband represents a clearer break with the past who only entered parliament in 2005. He does not need a Jon Cruddas to show he is leftwing: Ed Miliband is the true unity candidate who can fill both wings of the Labour aircraft himself, friends say. Has thought long and hard about why Labour lost the election and believes he is best placed to reach out to the poorest sections of the population who abandoned the party in droves. Weaknesses His relative lack of experience means he does not look enough of a heavyweight to be prime minister immediately. Has a strong cabinet record but his most senior post – energy and climate change secretary – did not involve the tough battles with interest groups that his brother faced as local government and schools minister. Critics say he is too rooted in the Labour party and lacks the natural appeal beyond its core base enjoyed by Tony Blair or Denis Healey. Key policy planks • Living wage. Wants five million of Britain's lowest-paid workers to get at least £7.14 an hour rather than the current £5.83 minimum wage. • Graduate tax. Tuition fees should be replaced by a tax to be paid by graduates of between 0.25% and 2% of their income over a 20-year period. This would help secure university funding while ensuring that less well-off students are not deterred by tuition fees. • High pay commission. Wants to go further than the coalition and extend the fair pay review to the private sector. Would like his commission to create a mechanism whereby the most highly paid person could not earn a certain percentage more than low-paid workers. On Iraq Not an MP at the time, so did not vote. Has said: "We must recognise the profound mistake of the Iraq war." Core support Grand names from Labour's past have lined up to support him, including Neil Kinnock, Tony Benn, Roy Hattersley and Peter Hain. Supported by six trade unions – GMB, NUM, Ucatt, Unison, Unite, Unity. Ed and Tony Known as the Brown ambassador to the court of Tony. Blair enjoyed reasonable relations with Ed while PM. Blair now believes, in Alastair Campbell's words, that Ed Miliband would make Labour feel good about losing. Ed and Gordon Brown has a high regard for his intellectual abilities and employed him as a senior adviser in 1997-2002 and 2004-05. Less convinced by his political skills, fearing that he lacks the killer instinct of Ed Balls. But believes Ed Miliband embodies his values better than his brother. David Miliband Unique selling point As former foreign secretary David is the oven-ready candidate who would look credible as a prime minister tomorrow if the coalition falls apart. But he is much more than a grandee who has held high office. As the former head of the No 10 policy unit, Miliband the elder is fizzing with ideas on how to embark on what he calls "Next Labour". This involves reaching out to Britain's mainstream majority, particularly in southern England, and delivering a harsh message that Labour must accept it is not trusted after losing the election on an "epic scale". With the support of Jon Cruddas, he is the unity candidate. Weaknesses Too closely associated with Tony Blair and is one of only two candidates (Andy Burnham is the other) who voted in favour of the Iraq war in 2003. It is difficult for him to be the agent for change, as Tony Blair was in 1994, because he has baggage dating back to the foundation of New Labour. The spectre of the wars launched in the wake of 9/11 came to haunt him as foreign secretary in 2009 when he made several attempts in the high court to block the release of information in a CIA document showing British authorities knew about the mistreatment of Binyam Mohamed. Key policy planks • Mansions tax on properties worth more than £2m to raise £1.7bn to restore housing benefit for the least well off. Owners would pay a 1% levy on properties worth more than £2m. • Creation of a British investment bank from the proceeds of the nationalised banks. This would ensure no repeat of the withdrawal of support from key companies such as Sheffield Forgemasters. • Turn the BBC into a co-operative to give licence-fee payers a "democratic voice". On Iraq Voted in favour. Has since said: "We have all said that if we had known in 2003 there were no weapons of mass destruction then of course we would not have voted for the war." Core support Received a great boost this week when Jon Cruddas, an iconic figure of the Labour left, endorsed him. This followed more predictable endorsements from Alastair Campbell and Jack Straw. Early – and significant – endorsement from Alistair Darling, highly regarded in the party for his handling of the financial crisis. In the glam corner sits Blur drummer Dave Rowntree; in the less glam corner trade unions USDAW and Community. Ed and Tony Never regarded as a true believer by Tony Blair, who thought him not radical enough and too attached to the state. Blair had to be persuaded to keep him on as head of his policy unit after the 1997 election and removed him before the 2001 election (to a safe Labour seat) to make way for true Blairite Andrew Adonis. Ed and Gordon Gordon Brown regarded David Miliband with great suspicion as a Blairite, but made him foreign secretary to show that his cabinet was inclusive and united. Brown thought he was unspeakably disloyal in cabinet.