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It is a talented field, but I am the best candidate to be leader of the Labour Party. The party lost millions of voters and many members in the New Labour years. But I am the best candidate to rebuild and revitalise the party, because I have experience of the party at every level. I am the only candidate who has been a city councillor, the only candidate that has been a trade union official, and the only candidate who has served on the national executive of the Labour Party.

I'm proud of our achievements, but I know why we lost. From the north-west mill towns to the Medway towns, too many people on lower incomes who voted Labour in the past thought we were not always listening to their concerns on jobs, housing and fair migration.

I am proud of what Labour achieved in Government and of the part I played. I have the most ministerial experience of all the leadership candidates and have held some of the most difficult jobs in politics. I was a minister at the Home Office and the Department of Health and joined the Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, before being appointed Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport and then Health Secretary.

Together we face two big challenges. We need to renew both our ideas and our organisation. And they depend on each other: organisation without ideas is sterile, ideas without organisation is futile.

This must be a change election for Labour: we must change to win. I will build on the great things we achieved in Government. But we should be under no illusions: to return to power we must put the era of New Labour behind us.

Egalitarianism has always had its opponents. There may always be those who believe that a huge gap between the richest and poorest in society is not only acceptable, but even desirable. However, a new trend over recent weeks shows a renewed surge in the vehemence of those who have rejected the way in which the right has embraced the need - at least theoretically - to reduce inequality within the UK.

In light of the startling revelations of The Afghanistan War Logs, there are important questions that we must ask ourselves, not just about the ongoing war in Afghanistan but about deeper questions of transparency and accountability in our society.

Today Soundings and Open Left jointly publish a new e-book, Labour's Future. In May we brought together 50 people associated with different political perspectives to discuss the future of Labour. A number of papers were given and Jon Cruddas and David Miliband gave responses.

In the next few weeks thousands of Compass members across Britain will vote in our Labour Leadership Ballot and help us to influence who Labour chooses as their next leader. Would you like a voice and a vote in this important ballot? If so, we urge you to join by Thursday 29 July to take part in this important election. Join now!

In the sphere of education, it's time to disenthrall ourselves with markets once and for all.