Campaign rally - 31st March
Many of you will already know about the national rally in support of the campaign that takes place in London on Saturday 31st March. It promises to be a packed day of speeches, music and entertainment. Above all, it will be a chance to meet other supporters of this campaign from across the country. For more details, click here. I want to thank all the activists who have put in so much work to make sure that it's a fun and successful day. I look forward to meeting many of you there!
As you will know, the date of the leadership election is fast approaching. If you have not already done so, I hope that you will think about joining or rejoining the Labour party now to ensure that you will have a vote for this campaign. Joining only takes a couple of minutes - you can do it online, by ringing 08705 900 200, or by downloading the form. I hope that you'll also consider encouraging others to do likewise.
Today we've put up the first sample of messages of support for this campaign. I really want to thank everyone for their words of support. From the very beginning, we've made it clear that this is a grassroots campaign embracing the whole labour movement right across the country - and I hope that these messages give a flavour of that. Above all, the comments show that there is a real appetite for a change in direction for our party and an alternative to New Labour policies of war and privatisation.
We'll be putting up many more endorsements from other supporting MPs, councillors, trade unionists, Labour party members, campaigners and ordinary activists on a very regular basis - so I hope that you will keep coming back.
Finally, please don't hesitate to email or ring the campaign office on 020 7529 8296 if you can help out in any way.
As you will know, the date of the leadership election is fast approaching. If you have not already done so, I hope that you will think about joining or rejoining the Labour party now to ensure that you will have a vote for this campaign. Joining only takes a couple of minutes - you can do it online, by ringing 08705 900 200, or by downloading the form. I hope that you'll also consider encouraging others to do likewise.
Today we've put up the first sample of messages of support for this campaign. I really want to thank everyone for their words of support. From the very beginning, we've made it clear that this is a grassroots campaign embracing the whole labour movement right across the country - and I hope that these messages give a flavour of that. Above all, the comments show that there is a real appetite for a change in direction for our party and an alternative to New Labour policies of war and privatisation.
We'll be putting up many more endorsements from other supporting MPs, councillors, trade unionists, Labour party members, campaigners and ordinary activists on a very regular basis - so I hope that you will keep coming back.
Finally, please don't hesitate to email or ring the campaign office on 020 7529 8296 if you can help out in any way.
posted by John at 5:10 PM
21 Comments:
We can do this! Can't wait till the rally.
Looks like John is well on the way to the 44:
politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2007/03/17/is-mcdonnell-set-to-get-his-44-nominations/
I think there is now a broad realisation that not only is John the most credible candidate, but also that he is the most likely to get on the ballot paper.
This will be the first time in my 15 years membership when I can back a leadership candidate without any reservations. Great to see Tony Benn backing John - I was too young to have been involved in 1981, but I think people are now really looking for an alternative and John is an excellent candidate.
Once we get the nominations out of the way, i can't wait to take this campaign on to give Gordon a run for his money!!
Oooh 2 non-Campaign Group MPs in the first batch! Very impressed.
Good to see that legend Walter Wolfgang is on board. Given Gordon's biographer is up for a bit of John4Leader action, do you reckon he'd be able to dig out any dirt on Brown?
J4L!
Again, Nu Lab shows its true colours....
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6464553.stm
Btw, I believe this latest call by Beckett truly demonstrates that John has got a far greater chance of winning than many Nu Labourites would like to believe/admit...
Support is really building for John: http://tradeunionists4john.blogspot.com/
We have to keep working to build that support within our CLPs and trade unions to ensure we have a candidate on the ballot paper.
Is everyone else feeling just that bit more optimistic at the moment or is it just me?
I am glad to be endorsing John and glad to report three people have told me they are re-joining Labour since our meeting on Friday night. EVRRYONE who was there was really impressed and our local webmaster has pasted up reams on the town site - with links to here! I really think the tide has turned so let's go for it.
As someone said to me yesterday:!I thought socialism was dead for ever inthe Labour Party .It was absolutely wonderful to meet people who thought the same as me."
Have blogged the end of Meacher HERE. Hope the graphic is forgiven at Meacher Mansions because I have a lot of time for the old chump.
Kevin Maguire is picking up negative Meacher noises in the New Statesman too: http://www.newstatesman.com/200701290023
Great to see those endorsements, particularly from Paul Routledge whose in a position to communicate with a layer of real labour voters.
Is Alan Simpson on board yet, as i've heard he's sitting on the fence. This surely can't be true, can it?
I'm Coming to the rally - its been a while since i've been to the big smoke - and it will be great opportunity to support the campaign and hear Tony Benn again -lovely.
Mark, Worcester.
Just read the Maguire piece, thought it was pretty dismissive but Maguire (who used to be much more indepndent-minded when at Guardian) is pretty much a cheerleader for Brown these days and it's hardly news that Gordon's having no trouble getting nominations.Routledge,once Gordon's biggest fan, is an even bigger name in the Fourth Estate. Onward!
Good old Walter! He was previously for Meacher so double well-done.
At our GC meeting we passed a resolution asking our MP to nominate John to ensure a contest. The resolution was passed 10-2, mainly because many of the party members present had seen John speak recently and were very impressed.
I am not into naming and shaming but the MP concerned said that he was not going to nominate him even though the reslution was carried. So much for democracy eh??
However, get members to put similar resolutions to the April GC meetings. Looks like Blair is stepping down on May 5th so April is our last chance. There will be some more MP's who will nominate.
Like you all I can feel the momentum building here. Routledge is a great catch. I believe more like Routledge on the perceived Old Labour right wing would have more in common with John's policies than Brown/Miliband. Though I have always been on the left of the party and don't share their views myself, the likes of Hattersley and Smith were committed to a big narrowing of the gap between rich and poor. Under New Labour it has at best stayed the same..
Routledge lives in our constituency... Will get a motion passed here in April (but we don't have a Labour MP sadly...)
It's disgraceful that MPs completely ignore the people who put them in power.What happened to accountability.TheMP concerned shouldbe named,shamed and de-selected.
CLPD member,
He should indeed....
So much for accountability of Labour's current leadership to the movement which got it to power and without which any election victory would be completely and utterly impossible.
That's why John must get on the ballot and, hopefully after that, get elected at the head of the Labour Party - the only true Party of Workers and youth, which, more than any other pary, ought to live up to its membership's expectations.
anonymous you should consider deselecting your MP then - let him stand as an independent if he doesnt want to reflect his CLP's views and select someone from the CLP who will as Labour candidate.
Iain Dale is talking tosh about why Miliband should run for Leader over @ the Guardian's Comment Is Free. Get blogging!!!!
Sorry... just realised link was old and CiF piece was used yesterday.Dale backing Miliband, why wouldn't he?
The Guardian is all over the place, again not mentioning John or even Meacher! one would have expected better from the Guardian. I do wonder if it is deliberate or just the hubris of the westminister elite.
'With no serious candidate having yet emerged who looks likely to gain the necessary support of 44 Labour MPs, it is very possible that Mr Brown will be the only name on the ballot paper.
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/labourleadership/story/0,,2038388,00.html
Brown is their man so it's in their interests not to mention the left. Simple as that. They also have complete contempt for grassroots campaigns. It really p**** me off, though as it's shoddy, inaccurate and deeply arrogant.
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