Autumn Arena delivers your chance to back David Miliband and Oona King

Date: 27 August 2010

The autumn edition of Usdaw’s award winning magazine Arena will be hitting members’ doormats from next Thursday 2 September.

In addition to all the usual great features and stories, Arena will also contain your ballot paper for the Labour Leadership election.

Members in London will also receive a ballot paper for the vote to decide who will be Labour's candidate for the Mayor of London election in 2012.

As previously announced, Usdaw is backing David Miliband for Leader of the Labour Party and Oona King to become Labour's candidate for London Mayor.

The ballot for both contests closes on 21 September with the result of the Labour Leadership election announced on 25 September and the London Mayor result announced on 24 September.

John Hannett, Usdaw General Secretary said:

"These are extremely important elections and I urge all members to make sure they use their vote and support David Miliband and Oona King.

It's really important that the new Labour leader is able to challenge the Coalition Government and that's why Usdaw is backing David Miliband.

David has long been a friend of Usdaw and his commitment to our campaigns, his experience in government and his strong leadership qualities make him the ideal candidate for the job and I hope members will overwhelmingly endorse him.

Oona King is also a longstanding friend of Usdaw, a tireless campaigner who understands the needs and aspirations of our members and a vibrant advocate who has always championed our campaigns to improve workers' lives. I hope members in London will also overwhelmingly endorse Oona."

You can find out more about David Miliband and why he wants to be Leader of the Labour Party by visiting his campaign website or by reading the feature on David in the latest edition of Arena.

Find out more about Oona and her campaign for London Mayor by visiting her campaign website.