By the time this column finds its way into print, there will be roughly 24 hours to go before we know the name of the next leader of HM Opposition, writes London Editor John Hipwood.

Political attention will have shifted from Liverpool, where the Liberal Democrats have been trying to decide whether or not they like being in government, about 25 miles up the M62 to Manchester where the Labour Party has to come to terms with being kicked out of government.

The election of the new Labour leader is likely to be the only story in town. The decision reached by the party’s electoral college comprising parliamentarians, party members, unions and members of other affiliated organisations will not determine the result of the next general election.

The Coalition Government’s ability to deliver a more stable economy without wholly alienating the British people with the severity of its spending cuts will be much more important in deciding the outcome. But choosing the wrong person could make a big difference in influencing whether Labour can make an early return to power.

If the bookies and the pundits are correct, the winner tomorrow will be either David or Ed Miliband, with Ed Balls, Andy Burnham and Diane Abbott trailing some way behind.

You may have heard the Ed Miliband’s team claim repeatedly in the last few weeks that their man is going to win, beating his older brother into second place. But the truth is that nobody knows, and much will depend on the second and third preference votes under Labour’s alternative vote system of electing their leader.

Where, for instance, will the Abbott and Balls votes go after they are eliminated from the contest? Certainly not to the one-time favourite, David M, the only contender who looks remotely like a potential prime minister.

Shropshire’s only Labour MP, David Wright, is an Ed Balls man, and although his choice is not tipped to win tomorrow, the Telford MP is convinced that the contest has been good for the party.

Like most of the rest of the country, he believes it’s been going on for too long but he also feels that the summer debate has been necessary.

“After John Smith died, there were really only two serious contenders to be leader of the Labour Party. One of them, Tony Blair, got the job, and the other, Gordon Brown, succeeded him as prime minister,” said Mr Wright.

“This time, because it wasn’t so obvious who was going to be leader, we have had a chance to look at a range of candidates and make our choice. That means that the person who does win will be in a strong position with the authority of having gone through this process.”

The Telford MP is also optimistic about Labour’s future electoral prospects.

“Without a leader, we are only four points or so behind the Tories, so getting the chance to unite behind the new leader should give us fresh impetus,” said Mr Wright.

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Lembit Opik, defeated by Glyn Davies in Montgomeryshire at the general election, confirmed at the conference that he would like to carve out a new career for himself in London.

The ex-MP is to stand for the nomination as Lib Dem candidate for Mayor of London.

It’s not clear what Mr Opik’s qualifications are for this demanding role.

Perhaps he’s working on the basis that he’s appeared on the BBC’s Have I Got News For You? nearly as many times as the current Mayor, Boris Johnson.

On that basis, there’s clearly an opening for Charles Kennedy to have a go too.

Watch this space . . .