Why I am standing
I am standing for leadership of the Labour Party because I have worked really hard to improve the quality of life for my local constituents but have increasingly come to the conclusion that there needs to be a change in national policies if we are to succeed. One way of securing these national policy changes is to stand for leader of the Party and force these issues onto the national agenda.
I have never been personally ambitious and look upon being MP for Hayes and Harlington as a vocation, not a career. However, if by standing for leader of the Party I can have some effect in improving our constituency and the country overall I believe that taking on this challenge will have been worthwhile.
The odds are stacked against me. It is a David and Goliath struggle, but I believe that I have the support of the ordinary Labour party members and trade unions who will cast the final vote in this election.
I hope that sufficient Labour MPs will nominate me and that they will not prevent Labour Party members having a say in the future of the Labour Government and who is to be the next leader.
I have never been personally ambitious and look upon being MP for Hayes and Harlington as a vocation, not a career. However, if by standing for leader of the Party I can have some effect in improving our constituency and the country overall I believe that taking on this challenge will have been worthwhile.
The odds are stacked against me. It is a David and Goliath struggle, but I believe that I have the support of the ordinary Labour party members and trade unions who will cast the final vote in this election.
I hope that sufficient Labour MPs will nominate me and that they will not prevent Labour Party members having a say in the future of the Labour Government and who is to be the next leader.
posted by John at 11:05 AM
92 Comments:
I think there is a general feeling that there will be a contest by the reaction of the BBC who have not added you to the list on text and the coverage that mainstreem papers are now giving the campaign.
Although they are no gaurantees, if there isn't a debate within the party after the campaign just to get you on the ballot then that will not look good for the Labour Party with the general population or grassroot supporters.
Good Luck
Jon
If the Labour Party is to win the next election it MUST have a democratic election for its next leader.
And from that democratic election they must elect John!
Max
Backing you and hoping you get the nominations John.
C'mon MP's, I joined so I could vote. Please let me do so.
Give it up.
You've no chance and nor have labour. Cameron for leader of this Country a.s.a.p
There was one event that should put anyone off voting for Cameron - the time when he cycled to Westminster to show his 'green' credentials but the complete idiot had a car take his suit and other stuff there in a car!! plus that flag on his bike was very camp!
Could you ever, even remotely vote and trust a man like that?
JC :)
I was asked by a friend to add my name to this: http://www.pledgebank.com/vote4John so I came to this website. I find I cannot find out what policies John McDonnell supports, or whether he would be someone I could support. That is disappointing.
An "I believe in XYZ" page or a manifesto or something would be nice. I dare say there is, but finding it is the problem.
Good Luck Jon, joined the Labour party today so I can vote for you if you get on the ballot paper.
Hello Francis,
If you click on the youtube link on the right hand side of the main page, it will take you to a page with video clips of John talking about the various issues, and the policies that he upholds.
Hope that helps to get you started!
JC
Go for it John!
Brown is refusing to rule out either a Lib-Lab coalition (as campaigned for by Newsnight) or the Alternative Vote for Westminister and local councils (as campaigned for by The World At One).
The only way to vote against these things is to vote for John, who should write to all the papers saying exactly that, as well as pointing out how in tune with mainstream, even tribally Tory, opinion are his views on Europe, civil liberties, opposition to the extremely unconservative neoconservative war agenda, opposition to unbidled capitalism and to globalisation (do these benefit, say, farmers or small shopkeepers?), and so on.
If anyone mentions Ireland, then just tell them that you are beyond answering a question which is no longer being asked.
Re alternative voting and other forms of PR, I think it would be a real mistake for the left to dismiss electoral reform out of hand. We have a deformed system at the moment, which can't be left in its current form.
A Lib-Lab coaliton, on the other hand, is not something to embrace at all.
Anyway, good luck John. Let's get people to keep lobbying their MPs to ensure we get the democratic contest the party and country needs.
And yeah, if there is a contest, we should be prepared for some irrelevant mudslinging from John's enemies. Let's rise above it with dignity and the clarity of our arguments, which have already been apparent, in contrast to Brown's fluff and spin.
The comment by francis above shows yet again why John's manifesto should be put online so anyone coming to the website who is interested in the campaign can read it. Only the most dedicated will buy a copy.
I have bought a copy for myself, but most people who come here wont.
With the increased press coverage, it is increasingly important that John's manifesto is put online so that anyone can find out in detail what he is about.
Best,
Ed
Well, you can't have one without the other, e2 rifle. Or rather, you can have electoral "reform" and either a Lib-Lab coalition or a Lib-Con coalition. Either way, you always get the Lib Dems in government. And as for local councils...
This is a real weapon in John's armoury, and he should use it ruthlessly. So, too, are his decidedly Middle English views on the subjects set out in my previous posts.
I'm really hoping John gets on the ballot paper. I'm a LP member & agree with the majority of what he says. However, the (theoretical) thought of John ever becoming PM really scares me - he cannot, being brutally honest, be an effective PM for Labour. My vote for him would be to demostrate that the Labour party needs to move in line with Conference policy & swing more to the left, however I don't believe in protest/tactical voting so if I'm asking myself honestly I'd have to vote for GB. Surely most people here are voting for him believing that he won't win it & so they don't have to consider that they probably actually would strongly question him being PM? I'd feel awful voting for GB but don't see any way round it. He would make the better prime minister when all's considered.
In answer to anonymous, John was deputy leader of the GLC, he's had years of experience managing multi-million Budgets and is respected right across the board in the House of Commons.
MOst importantly, he has said he would bring back the "broad church" approach ditched by Blair and now Brown. A McDonnell cabinet would therefore include, to use the Brown phrase "all the talents."
Surely the portents are here already. Brown backing Academies, morePFI. How can that be better for the country??? Nothing will change. I'm voting for John because his policies would improve life for the people I care about. I would have no hesitation in handing him the keys to Number 10.
As things stand,the odds are aganst us.
But I think you will find most people backing this campaign DO want John to win.Even if it's against the odds.
He isn't respected across the House of Commons. I think John comes across as a lovely man & very sweet, but I cringe for him when I see him on TV trying to evoke a bit of gravitas. The vast majority of people won't vote on policy alone. It's a shame, but people are judged on more superficial things, John just doesn't have the personality or governmental experience to back up his policies. I know he's all there is at the moment, but I mean, come on, realistically? A LEADER? Unfortunately not. His policies wouldn't improve life for anyone because he hasn't got the charisma to get the vote out for Labour.
Oh look, Brown's got his pathetic little henchmen to leave comments on John's blog to try an undermine him.
Perhaps they'd like to try and justify Brown's "charisma" and "gravitas" - or lack thereof.
Brown comes across as an arrogant, power-hungry politician who's been desperate to be PM for years for the hell of it. John is standing out of principle and convinction. He outshone Brown at the Fabian Society debate.
I know who I'd rather vote for.
Look, you're entitled to your view.But it's all basedon a subjective assessment of an individual. I am not going to comment on your judgments other than to say I think they are a bit insulting but frankly people have had enough of "charisma" - whatever that is. Blair had plenty but he had no experience of Govt when he became PM. Actually, he had a damned sight less experience than John.Cameron was an unknown and has no Govt experience. Government should be a collective not a personality cult.I rather suspect, anonymous, you have a vested interest here. Otherwise why stay anonymous.
280-Brown 27-McDonnell so far.
By my count there are still 46 on the fence?
Yeah, that's correct - and we need 18 of them (so, significantly less than half).
I do know the names a few, though, that there are those who have already pledged to nominate John McDonnell who haven't done yet for whatever reason (and presumably will - they haven't nominated Gordon!)
The rest we need to work on.
I actually think he has more charisma and comes across much better than Brown - more passionate and passionate about the right reasons that matter for many, many people.
Let's hope the nominations come!!
JON
Unbelievable - John Reid Nominated Brown!!
Brown must not be allowed to take over the reigns of government without a mandate.
Its vital John gets on the ballot, party members who do the legwork at election time and pay their fees deserve a say in who leads the party.
If John gets onto the ballot and polls well (which I believe he will) it will help set the agenda for a Brown administration, meaning he could not continue with all aspects of the Blair project unchecked.
If john gets on the ballot and then goes onto win, even better. The lives of so many people in Britain and the world would be improved through his policies.
Commissar, party members have been ignored. If you compare the nominations for Brown against the CLPs on John's letter it may surprise you!
Perhaps those MP's will get a surprise come selection time !
He needs over 40%, and the number "on the fence" includes many he simply won't get, such as Milburn, Byers, Clarke.
It is looking very unfavourable, to say the least. It also looks like he didn't get many transfers at all from Meacher.
I agree with the previous post. It seems incredible that there are so few left wing MPs in the Labour Government! Maybe many of meacher's supporters voted for him to keep John out and so have now transferred their votes to Brown.
Speaking as a labour party member of some 14 years or so I will feel very angry indeed if John does not get the 45 nominations and I alongside all the other members don't get to vote on the leadership.
That said I don't know off hand who the MPs are who have yet to vote - perhaps they do include a lot who would vote for John.
It looks pretty dismal at present but fingers crossed. Maybe by 1pm tomorrow that 27 will have become 45!
John, I so hope you get the further 18 backers you need. Good luck...
I'm sure John, Owen, Jacqui and the rest of them are doing there best.
John said on the BBC News this morning that he was expecting around 30 in the first tranche by the end of today. Well he has 27 which is around that figure. The Guardian reported that Brown had around 270 so perhaps the vast majority of them have decided to nominate him. He still may be able to get alot of the 40 undecided excluding the three mentioned above.
If he doesn't then the Campaign Group should vote on reducing the threshold in future. After 13 years it is ridiculous that we have no contest
If John doesn't get the nominations then the party will be in serious trouble with membership numbers I think.
I dont agree with John on everything but as a Labour party member I hope he gets on the ballot.
It will be a disaster for the party if he isn't.
The Labour party has been run by stuck up little politics students for too long.
i'm not a member, so you can take my views lightly, but i agree with new member above. If John does not get on i think many of the old supporters will be leave disallusioned, and the new member who have joined may not like funding a party that operates in this way.
Like John said, debate is good!
Oh my MP, Hilary Armstrong, voted for Brown - not too surprised considering her voting record - for Iraq, against an inquairy, for PFI and for tuition fees i believe - not too impressed with her i have to admit!! tut tut
Jon
...and all those who have nominated Brown will have to support him in all votes going forward.
Can you just hear it?
"Shall we help Bush attack Iran?
All those in favour put your hands up!"
Looking through the list, there are many more who simply won't nominate him. Cruddas won't, it would be bad for his campaing. More than 10 nominated Blears, Harman or Johnson, its difficult to see any of them jumping on to McDonnells campaign. The support just isn't there, 18 is simply too steep a hill to climb.
The left has clearly fallen a long way in the PLP. Will there be left deselection moves now from its members groups? This is probably the only route they currently have to rebuild themselves.
There are a few who haven't voted that he will have a chance with.
These are Colin Burgon, Ann Clywd, Jim Cousins, Gwyn Dunwoody, Nia Griffith, David Hamilton, Dai Harvard, Kate Hoey, Peter Kilfoyle, Mark Lazarowicz, Austin Mitchell, Graham Stringer, Jon Trickett, Paul Truswill and Rudi Vis.
If John got 10 of these sixteen. He would need seven from the remaining MP's. It is still do-able but lookin less likely. However, none of us know what negotiations are ongoing.
Either way it looks like if he doesn't make it he will be less than 10 short. As the Guardian leader said that will lead to such bitterness in the movement. The 43 MP's left should think long and hard about whether they want a contest in the next 24 hours and the damage that is done by not having one.
Either way, John at this stage has more nominations that many of the doom mongers predicted ie 20 or less. He already has more than the numbers in the campaign group
He doesn't have all of the campaign group though, including 3 who went with Brown.
To be realistic, I think he needs more that ten of those. Having looked through the list, I really can't see where he will get those 7 from, especially with what is a disappointing number hurting his momentum.
Come on all,
lets be optimistic here. Its not over till its over. Imagine if he got to within single figures with 20 MP's undecided by tommorow night ie another 9 or more
Pressure would be on those MP's to make sure there is a contest. It is still do-able
Yes, cheer up all! There'll be a lot of new visitors to this site over the next day or so, and we shouldn't sound despondent! There's still quite a time to go!
If people are looking for something constructive to do, these are the MPs who haven't nominated anyone yet (as of 6pm today):
Anne Begg/ Joe Benton/ Colin Burgon/ Stephen Byers/ Charles Clarke/ David Clelland/ Ann Clwyd/ Vernon Coaker/ Michael Connarty/ Jim Cousins/ Jon Cruddas/ Andrew Dismore/ Jim Dowd/ Gwyneth Dunwoody/ Frank Field/ Bruce George/ Nia Griffith/ Mike Hall/ David Hamilton/ Dai Havard/ Sharon Hodgson/ Kate Hoey/ Brian Jenkins/ Piara Khabra/ Peter Kilfoyle/ Fiona Mactaggart/ Chris McCafferty/ Siobhain McDonagh/ Rosemary McKenna/ Alan Meale/ Alan Milburn/ Austin Mitchell/ Chris Mullin/ Jim Murphy/ Stephen Pound/ Terry Rooney/ Graham Stringer/ Jon Trickett/ Paul Truswell/ Rudi Vis/ Michael Wills/ David Winnick/ Anthony Wright/ Tony Wright/
A group hug is required but before that what about the Scottish MP's sponsered by UNISON??? UNISON Scotland should definately be having a word with them
Many thanks to the person above who has listed the MP's yet to nominate, that must have taken some time to get together. we all should make pests of ourselves and get emailing these MP's urging them to nominate John saying why it is in the interests of the party and there being huge support amongst the grassroots for John.
For people unsure of what to put, John has letters to download under the campaign material.
But most importantly lets all not panic, there is still time and John has over come many odds already to get into the present position.
There is still plenty of time to harrass the undecided to nominate John.
Ive created a hitlist of 18 MPs who might be convinced to to nominate John on my blog if anyone would like to see
http://peoplescommissarofenlightenment.blogspot.com/
I'm sorry but this rant needs to be had. I seriously cannot BELIEVE that Bob Marshall-Andrews has nominated Brown. Was he drunk at the time? because that's the only excuse, and not much of one.
After all the flapping of his mouth at blair over the years, this vile scab now turns around and votes for all the war and privatisation we can eat. what a 'socialist'. maybe he thinks his 'high media profile' (read: speaking gibberish on HIGNFY) will get him a job under brown? i bet that one keeps em guffawing over their champagne in the new labour hotspots for months.
i feel ashamed when i think of the times i battered abbott for sucking up to brown on this week, or criticised skinner or cryer for excessive loyalism. at least when it comes down to it we see what people are really made of.
good luck getting the rest of the votes john. for sheer comedy value, im hoping the ultra blairites are just waiting on the off chance that you need a last couple of votes so they can show a bit more gordon hate!
I can't beleive Mark Fisher and Glenda Jackson voted for Brown!!
I hope John wins, we need to bombard the undicided mps with mail and urge them to support John just for the sake of democracy.
My family was once supporters of the Labour party; I always wondered why anyone would vote for the people being offered in modern elections.
It turns out that what we have in various parties are fakes, career politicians and unprincipled people of no honour.
Please prove me wrong by winning the party leadership and showing this country what real governments are supposed to do.
Fisher voted for mcdonnell I thought? I cant believe anne clwyd, mark cousins and chaytor voted for brown though! TRAITORS!! I hope tha=ey loose their seats if Brown wins the leadership election as it is the only one he will be winning
The problem with this party now I'm afraid is that there are simply too many former tories in it who defected when their own party lurched to the far right.
I don't think Ann Clwyd has nominated yet (though I'm not holding my breath!)
Anyway, I think we need to go easy on the denunciations!! It's not up yet, you know!
Dear John,
I hope you get enough support to stand. It seems that most NL MPs are scared of being seen to support any contender against economic meddler and muddler Brown, who will be an even greater disaster than Blair if he sails through to become PM. Perhaps NL MPs are all concerned about their future prospects if they are seen to support a contender?
What they need to realise is that floating voters like me will never vote for a LP with Brown as leader, but we would vote for a LP with you as leader. So if they were really concerned about their future they would support you to keep their seats !!
I feel that if you can obtain sufficient support for nomination you would then get much more support afterwards from party members and trade unions. It is only NL MPs that are the problem, because it seems that most of them have forgotten democracy after so many years of Blair spin and deception.
Best of luck,
Doug
Let's keep up the comradely and democratic persuasion which John has been busily doing since day one of this campaign. It's not over till it's over, and even when it is over, it's not over 'cos we still have loads of work to do to convince people of our case for socialism!
If anyone wants to do something to help right now, here below is the list usefully given above by duncan, of the MPs who hadn't indicated a nomination by 6pm last night - along with their constituency and their parliamentary format email address of lastname+initial@parliament.uk (some have other email addresses which I haven't got time to find.) I have added one at the end from commissar's website which wasn't on duncan's list. Not sure if any of these have actually nominated by now. Worth contacting any/some/all of them if you can, especially if you know them or they are your MP, and even though some may not look promising. And as a helpful anonymous pointed out, there are letters in the campaign material you could use/adapt.
btw this list can be copied and saved as a .csv text file and imported into excel if that's any help to anyone.
First name,Last name,Constituency,parlemail
Anne,Begg,Aberdeen South,begga@parliament.uk
Joe,Benton,Bootle,bentonj@parliament.uk
Colin,Burgon,Elmet,burgonc@parliament.uk
Stephen,Byers,North Tyneside,byerss@parliament.uk
Charles,Clarke,Norwich South,clarkec@parliament.uk
David,Clelland,Tyne Bridge,clellandd@parliament.uk
Ann,Clwyd,Cynon Valley,clwyda@parliament.uk
Vernon,Coaker,Gedling,coakerv@parliament.uk
Michael,Connarty,Linlithgow & Falkirk East,connartym@parliament.uk
Jim,Cousins,Newcastle upon Tyne Central,cousinsj@parliament.uk
Jon,Cruddas,Dagenham,cruddasj@parliament.uk
Andrew,Dismore,Hendon,dismorea@parliament.uk
Jim,Dowd,Lewisham West,dowdj@parliament.uk
Gwyneth,Dunwoody,Crewe & Nantwich,dunwoodyg@parliament.uk
Frank,Field,Birkenhead,fieldf@parliament.uk
Bruce,George,Walsall South,georgeb@parliament.uk
Nia,Griffith,Llanelli,griffithn@parliament.uk
Mike,Hall,Weaver Vale,hallm@parliament.uk
David,Hamilton,Midlothian,hamiltond@parliament.uk
Dai,Havard,Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney,havardd@parliament.uk
Sharon,Hodgson,Gateshead East & Washington West,hodgsons@parliament.uk
Kate,Hoey,Vauxhall,hoeyk@parliament.uk
Brian,Jenkins,Tamworth,jenkinsb@parliament.uk
Piara S,Khabra,Ealing Southall,khabrap@parliament.uk
Peter,Kilfoyle,Liverpool Walton,kilfoylep@parliament.uk
Fiona,Mactaggart,Slough,mactaggartf@parliament.uk
Chris,McCafferty,Calder Valley,mccaffertyc@parliament.uk
Siobhain,McDonagh,Mitcham & Morden,mcdonaghs@parliament.uk
Rosemary,McKenna,Cumbernauld, Kilsyth & Kirkintilloch East,mckennar@parliament.uk
Alan,Meale,Mansfield,mealea@parliament.uk
Alan,Milburn,Darlington,milburna@parliament.uk
Austin,Mitchell,Great Grimsby,mitchella@parliament.uk
Chris,Mullin,Sunderland South,mullinc@parliament.uk
Jim,Murphy,Renfrewshire East,murphyj@parliament.uk
Stephen,Pound,Ealing North,pounds@parliament.uk
Terry,Rooney,Bradford North,rooneyt@parliament.uk
Graham,Stringer,Manchester Blackley,stringerg@parliament.uk
Jon,Trickett,Hemsworth,trickettj@parliament.uk
Paul,Truswell,Pudsey,truswellp@parliament.uk
Rudi,Vis,Finchley & Golders Green,visr@parliament.uk
Michael,Wills,North Swindon,willsm@parliament.uk
David,Winnick,Walsall North,winnickd@parliament.uk
Anthony D,Wright,Great Yarmouth,wrighta@parliament.uk
Tony,Wright,Cannock Chase,wrightt@parliament.uk
Alan,Williams,Swansea West,williamsa@parliament.uk
Anyone know when the next update on nominations will be?
I think it is at 1PM
Dear
Thank you very much for your email and for your interest. I am sorry to disappoint you on this issue but I will be supporting Gordon Brown in the forthcoming leadership elections. I do not see this as a contest between left and right within the Party and I think it would be very damaging if we allow that to be the political perception.
That said, one of the reasons why it is possible to continue in Labour politics in the past ten years despite, notably, Iraq, the persistent erosion of civil liberties and indifference to democratic institutions, has been the management of the economy. This had had a profound effect on poverty (particularly child poverty) both in the UK and in the Third World we were have been leaders in the successful assault on Third World indebtedness. We have also moved steadily up the league table of donor countries in terms of both aid and expertise. Those achievements have been very substantial and could not have been made with the direct commitment of the Chancellor. For my part I hope and believe that we will see a substantial change in the nature of government under Gordon Brown. If we do not then I will share your pessimism as to the future of a Labour government.
My best wishes. Bob Marshall-Andrews.
John's got 29 now.
There are still 25 sitting on the fence. I have to say though, all of those who were going to nominate Brown have now done so. Not all MPs were around to submit nominations by 6pm yesterday; they will have been by now. My speculation (and it is just speculation) is that they're sitting on the fence about having a contest.
We'll soon see, though.
To those on the fence, nominate John.
The Labour Party needs re-energising and nothing will do that more a leadership election.
It's win win. Brown's coronation talk (which you know the Tories are going to use against us) gets stamped out and the Labour membership feels involved and will be more willing to get you elected at the next general election - as many in the CLPs will see a nomination of Brown, or none at all as slamming the door in their faces.
New nominations for Brown :-
Byers MP, Rt Hon Stephen/ Clelland MP, David/ Coaker MP, Vernon/ Connarty MP, Michael/ George MP, Rt Hon Bruce/ Hall MP, Mike/ Hamilton MP, David/ Hodgson MP, Sharon/ Jenkins MP, Brian/ Lazarowicz MP, Mark/ McCafferty MP, Chris/ Milburn MP, Rt Hon Alan/ Munn MP, Meg/ Murphy MP, Jim/ Pound MP, Stephen/ Vis MP, Dr Rudi/ Wills MP, Michael/
For John McDonnell:-
Cousins MP, Jim/
Griffith MP, Nia/
Has Charles Clarke still to vote - hopefully he will vote for John just to spite Brown?
What about all Meacher's supporters, I don't know much about the MPs still to vote. Might they be Meacher's and likely to vote for John?
It's still possible but very difficult. 16 of 26 is the magic number I think.
"This does not auger well for other Brown projects."
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/david_hencke/2007/05/pfi_a_get_rich_quick_scheme.html
its definetly still possible!
here's my reply from Frank Field, i coulnt disagree more with him but at least he had the manners to reply (the only one out of 40plus MP's emailed).
Dear Tom,
Thanks for your email about John Mcdonnell. I would have preferred a contest but i do believe an alternative candidate has got to look like an alternative Prime Minister.
With best wishes
Frank Field
i was going to vote for cruddas but if he doesn't back john then no way josé. also - and this won't be a popular position here - if john doesn't get on the ballot then i'm cutting up my card and leaving the party. if he's on the ballot and loses then fair enough, that's democracy, but a coronation based on north london restaurant deals over a decade ago just isn't on.
I had the same (courteous) reply from Frank Field, the only one out of all 46 I emailed earlier today. I responded thus:
"To answer your point, I think both John McDonnell and Gordon Brown would have been better alternatives than any of at least the last three Prime Ministers... but A) that bar doesn't appear to be set very high, and B) at least I was able to cast a meaningful vote.
Nominate for a contest?"
Something tells me he may not, however ;-)
Nil desperandum.
I had the same (courteous) reply from Frank Field, the only one out of all 46 I emailed earlier today. I responded thus:
"To answer your point, I think both John McDonnell and Gordon Brown would have been better alternatives than any of at least the last three Prime Ministers... but A) that bar doesn't appear to be set very high, and B) at least I was able to cast a meaningful vote.
Nominate for a contest?"
Something tells me he may not, however ;-)
Nil desperandum.
pescao said...
"if john doesn't get on the ballot then i'm cutting up my card and leaving the party."
Before you do (and I may join you on this) we have one more action left to us. Even if the nominations don't come in we can still nominate via our CLP meetings in the near future - I know they don't count BUT the message will resound both publicly and within the party......
pescao said...
"if john doesn't get on the ballot then i'm cutting up my card and leaving the party."
Hang on... If John doesn't get on the ballot yet. Just remember a general election defeat will put a lot of those MPs who didn't nominate out of a job. Perhaps that's what it will take to clear out the Tory deadwood from the PLP.
Anyone else get some substance-less leaflet from Brown in the post today? Didn't have much to say did it?
"if john doesn't get on the ballot then i'm cutting up my card and leaving the party."
Have you thought about joining a proper socialist party that won`t tell you LIES and where you will have a say in how things are run/done?
http://www.respectcoalition.org/index.php?sec=1
http://www.solidarityscotland.org/
http://www.scottishsocialistparty.org/
But in the meantime Paul, the tories will win the election (due to a low turniout that allways helps them) and we have to wait 5 more years for any whiff of a chance to change the country for the better.
George,
Go fuck yourself.
Your irrelevant little sects can also go fuck themselves.
Goodbye.
James
You are NEW Labour and all like you.
Had this reply from Alan Milburn MP:
Thank you for your email asking me to nominate John McDonnell as leader of the Labour Party.
I understand your point of view but I have decided to nominate Gordon Brown.
Yours sincerely,
(Electronic Signature)
According to the Guardian...
"Anne Begg, Joe Benton and deputy leadership contender Jon Cruddas confirmed they would back the chancellor, while Siobhain McDonagh, Peter Kilfoyle and deputy speaker Syliva Heal, said they would not nominate anyone."
Spineless ****s who represent us.
Labourhome reporting that John is to concede: http://www.labourhome.org/story/2007/5/16/105835/338
Siobhain McDonagh's no surprise - she was made a Baroness by Blair and went to campaign for that thug Allawi on his behalf.
Peter Kilfoyle i'm a bit disappointed in.
Maybe Brown will be better than we fear - but there's no guarantee of it.
He has had it leaked that he wants all troops brought home from Iraq before the next election and that he'd back electoral reform and giving the crown powers to parliament - and re-nationalising the railways.
Those will all be positive if they're more than just spinning both ways to try to keep everyone thinking he's for whatever they hope he's for.
I think its sad if there arent enough MPs to nominate even one candidate to stand against Brown.
Doesnt say much for democracy within the Labour party if it won't even have leadership elections.
Calm down everyone! It's not over yet - but we should have a clear and calm response to the eventuality of not being on the ballot paper that remains in the spirit of the campaign so far. If we react in a barrage of denunciations then there may be a 'good riddance' response from some quarters. If we make the case for democratising the party and for building the left calmly and consistently then we can continue to help shape the future of the party.
If John isn't nominated (and I'm not resigned to that) the response from the right and the media is going to be that Blair's legacy is the effective destruction of the Labour left. We have to prove that it's wrong; that all we're talking about is the PLP, and not the Party and not the movement. We need to show an enormous amount of (constructive) strength in the coming weeks if John isn't nominated. We need to have a strategy for expressing that we've been disenfranchised in a strong but non-destructive way.
But let's keep hoping (and lobbying)!
Both Duncans are right - and especially about calm and clear actions to be taken.
Yes, it's a pity that the vast bulk of the PLP appears so afraid of a contest which allows members and trade unions a say - but we kind of knew that already.
And we will have to fight on today, and tomorrow and on into the future, whether John gets onto the ballot paper or not, for the right to have a say in our own party.
George, you will be pleased to hear that you have a convert here. I have been a memeber of the labour party for 14 years and in all that time I do not feel that my views have been represented on a national level (and I am centre left not hard/far left!). Whilst I understand Duncan's views I feel that if John is not even nominated and brown continues to ignore the left in the party then there is no point in remaining in it.
If John is not nominated I will quit the party with immediate effect and join Respect. If enough people join respect or leave the Labour party and stop campaigning for them it may provide a wake-up call to the Labour party and I just don't know how else to achieve this and dialogue seems to be ignored.
I think quitting the Labour Party for a smaller party or organisation on the left-wing be fruitless. It's been happening for generations without a single case of success.
What we need to do is reclaim the PLP.
Liz is just a Respect plant masquerading as a Labour party member. Not particularly subtle. We should be aware that obviously members of irrelevant sects will now desperately be trying to recruit disillusioned party members. Our respect should be to tell them to stick it.
liz
You have come to your senses.
What is the point of staying???. If what has just happened does not tell what NEW Labour think of their members nothing will.
james is just a Blairite-Brownite masquerading as a left winger.Not particularly subtle.
I think that the waiting game in Labour may still be the lefts best option considering the alternatives, the membership is to the left of the plp and so are the unions, perhaps it is only a matter of time.
Respect - Do not make me laugh, that name? Gallaway? The sops to Islamism? Yikes!
SP - Still disgruntled about being kicked out of labour, given up on themselves and are proposing a Labour party mark 2 sort of thing with the CNMWP.
SWP - No, just no.
SPGB - Join all half dozen of them?
CPGB - I know some good people in this, but obviously it is very very far left,unrealistically so, and the name 'communist' scares average joe punter.
Labour - The long wait to make it a vehicle of even the mildest socialism goes on and will the brutal logic of triangulation and third wayism will lead inexorably towards being an utterly bourgeois reactionary party? At the top is it already?
AAAAAAAAARRRRHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
Still, good luck to John, he's been a trooper and Meacher wouldve done no better considering their platforms are virtually identical, thus providing no excuses whatsoever for meachers supporters not transferring their nominations.
Michael
How many houses does Meacher own again?.
And when did George Galloway us any LIES.
Michael - you forget the good old CPB!
Anyway, McDonnell says he'll fight on and hasn't thrown in the towel yet. See BBC.
just to be clear, i'm certainly not about to join another party - all the rest contain as much democracy as labour, ie none at all. nope, party politics is clearly a distraction, it's back to single-issue campaigning for me! john can still make it though, i'm not giving up yet.
James
In response to your accusation perhaps i can respond - honesty often appears to be not very subtle as no time is spent in crafting polished lies.
I am not urging anyone to join any party they are not comfortable with. I have been in the Labour party for many years but how can I prove it - besides that would seem a little childish!
I have come to the conclusion that at present I prefer the left-wing policys of Respect than brown centre-right Labour party. If the Labour party were to move in a left wing direction under John I would not leave or would rejoin if I had left at this point.
I am amazed at how little support John is getting - does the party not think we are capable of voting?
I don't want to dampen the spirits new but i have some bad news for the campaign. Jon Cruddas has declared his backing fro Gordon Brown
http://www.labour.org.uk/leadership/gordon_brown123
liz
Someone with the foul mouth that James has is NOT really worth responding to.
I joined the SSP in Scotland in the hope of proving that we could show the world how socialism could work. Unforunatly they spilt and now there are two parties of the left. I then joined Solidarity. The fight is over there for the next few years?. I am now thinking of joining Respect? or holding on in Scotland. I do think the best chance for a true socialist republic will be in Scotland but would really like to help Respect. NEW Labour are a right wing party have been all my lifetime it`s just that they have moved to the far right. They will never change unforunatly.
George
Yes I am coming to agree with you and that is something a loyal Labour moderate lefty like myself finds hard to accept. If people like myself are leaving the labour party then it really is in trouble.
I find Tommy S hugely charasmatic and interesting. It was a great shame that the socialists in Scotland imploded just at a time when it looked like they would make a major breakthrough.
Respect have far better policies than Labour BUT I just don't like Gorgeous G. It is a shame that someone with simple decency and integrity is not leading Respect rather than a man who seems to me to be a bit shify and untrustworthy, out for himself etc.
I think Scotland is the best place for a lefty, although in Sheffield close to my stomping ground, Respect are an increasingly popular alternative.
"I think Scotland is the best place for a lefty"
For all that has happened to the left in Scotland Liz I think it could still take off big time for the left there.
As for GG well no matter what you think off him he tells the truth, maybe the way he tells it puts people off him. But he is a good human being that counts for a lot Liz. Don`t judge a book by it`s cover.
I do think Liz that England has little hope off true left politics just something about the make up off the people maybe something to do with it`s history?.
Times never change. When you go to the site click on the newspaper and you will be able to read it.
http://gdl.cdlr.strath.ac.uk/redclyde/redcly194.htm
Nobody seems to have considered how many nominations Michael Meacher would have got if the arrogant McDonnell campaign hadn't demanded the right to stand by virtue of having, ooh, a whole 24 nominations in the bag. So Michael dutifully falls on his sword, signs a nomination for John, and then we find to our surprise that only 4 of his 20 supporters will nominate the Respect front candidate. Whereas I'm sure John's supporters would happily have nominated Saddam Hussein against Gordon Brown, or at least Michael Meacher who would then have got on the ballot. So typical Trot arrogance falls flat on its face again. Oh well.
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