There has been a massive movement in the betting market for the ALP leadership. For the last few weeks Andrew Bolt has been suggesting that Simon Crean might get the gig, while Stephen Smith has also been suggested. Yesterday I checked Centrebet and Julia Gillard was clear front runner to be leader at the next election, with Bill Shorten in second spot. The ‘Any other candidate’ option was at $9. Today it is at $4.

Given that all the obvious people are already covered, the ‘Any other candidate’ can only be Crean.

Update: Noodle suggests it could be Peter Beattie. If so he would have to run for office as leader but outside the Parliament. That is what the National Liberal Party in Queensland is trying to do at the State level – but the LNP is in opposition. At the federal level that would mean that the leader of the party and the Prime Minister wouldn’t be the same person. Could that work?