Nominations for the Deputy Leader open this afternoon and close on Thursday lunchtime. Peter Hain, Harriet Harman and Hazel Blears have already published at least the required 45 nominations, but Alan Johnson seems to be biding his time - he may have almost double that number. Jon Cruddas and Hilary Benn are still holding out for enough nominations.
Nominations also opened for the leadership of the party today but the only interesting aspect to that is who Meacher and McDonnell decide should challenge Brown. The procedure for both contests starts with the lists of backers being posted on Labour's website, then the candidates attend ten hustings before the vote begins between MPs/MEPs, party members and affiliated unions. The victors will be announced in Manchester on Sunday 24th June (Blair stands down on the Wednesday).
Blears (pictured at her launch outside Parliament) summed up well the lack of policy substance so far:
"We have a real sense among us that this campaign has to be about talking about the issues the public are really concerned about."
An important question is whether the deputy race will divide the party or invigorate it. Which Deputy Leader would you vote for?
Deputy Editor
I suppose anyone except Harman would be an improvement on Prescott. For that reason I hope Harman wins.
Posted by: malcolm | May 14, 2007 at 16:22
"Which Deputy Leader would you vote for?"
From a non-partisan perspective, I would like to see Hilary Benn (or Alan Johnson, if Benn doesn't get enough nominations to stand) get the gig.
From a Conservative perspective, I'd be thrilled if Hazel Blears got the job.
Posted by: Daniel VA | May 14, 2007 at 16:22
As a Conservative, I'd also be delighted to see Hazel Blears win though Harriet Harman would be pretty good for us too.
If I was a Labour party member, I'd probably vote for Benn, since he's the only vaguely sensible one of the bunch. To be honest I wouldn't be enthused by any of them.
Posted by: Robert Simpson | May 14, 2007 at 16:26
Choose any one of three from blears, hain or harman to give us all the ammo we would need in the run up to an election.
From a non-partisan prospective Johnson and Benn are the only two who seem to be in politics for the right reasons (to improve lives) whereas blears, harman and hain are preening prima donnas.
Posted by: Michael Hewlett | May 14, 2007 at 16:27
Blears for me. Dreadful woman.
Posted by: Andrew Woodman | May 14, 2007 at 16:32
Not particularly enthused by any of them, in fact between the selection running for DPL and only a left winger having the courage to attempt to get on the ballot to give Brown a contest, just where is the talent, guts or desire for a proper debate in this party????
If I was forced to choose in the DPL I would go for Benn who I like as a steady pair of hands or Johnston or Cruddas for a bit of personality and good old leftie rhetoric. But any Labour posters out there please pick either Harman, Hain or Blears in that order.
Posted by: Scotty | May 14, 2007 at 16:46
Alan Johnson for his Clintonesque style.
Posted by: Mark Fulford | May 14, 2007 at 17:33
It's a shame Conservative members can't elect our own Deputy.
Posted by: Umbrella man | May 14, 2007 at 17:50
Remind me - did Labour not win a General Election not so long ago, with Prescott as Deputy PM and already having a less than glorious track record ?
In that light, does it really matter how abyssmal the incumbent is, in terms of electoral advantage to the Tories?
Posted by: Occasional Visitor | May 14, 2007 at 17:57
Blears or Harman - for the reasons already stated above!
Posted by: Sally Roberts | May 14, 2007 at 18:16
All of them are awful and we should be able to best every one of them,
Matt
Posted by: Matt Wright | May 14, 2007 at 18:30
As long as it's not Peter Hain. I find the man absolutely unbearable...
Posted by: Steven Bainbridge | May 14, 2007 at 18:41
Blears is a smug Labour troll. She's so up herself it's unbelievable. Everytime she appears on telly I swear Tory membership takes a sharp upturn!
Apparently Benn got over-confidant and didn't bother sucking up to the back benches. It looks like Harman.
Whoever it is - they're all political and intellectual dwarves.
Posted by: Robson | May 14, 2007 at 19:28
If I weren't a Conservative, I'd vote for Hilary Benn. He seems the most decent, down to earth of the lot - he's certainly a guy I could get on with.
As a Conservative, I'm egging for John McDonnell to win...just imagine!
Posted by: Ash Faulkner | May 14, 2007 at 19:49
From a Conservative perspectiven I would say Hain is best for us - terrible on the telly and adds nothing to the Labour ticket.
If I were a Labour supporter I'd go for Cruddas. He has integrity - not mad too but sufficently of the left to motivate the membership, He also has some stratgic vision.
Blears although hilarious on the TV does at least get that Labour shouldn't throw out the baby with the bathwater re the blairite image so I have a little respct for her.
Posted by: Modrn Conservative | May 14, 2007 at 19:54
"As a Conservative, I'm egging for John McDonnell to win...just imagine!"
A financial crisis and a severe raiding of the wallets of the middle classes. Would get us into power but would it be worth the cost?
Posted by: Richard | May 14, 2007 at 20:22
Haha, fair point Richard. Though I wonder if, as with all post-Soviet leftists, reality in power would change his perspective.
Besides, he wouldn't have a mandate. I saw him on the Politics Show on Sunday, discussing how he'd implement the basis of his ideas before holding an election. Apparently "ideas should be given a chance, and then the electorate decide." What a committed democrat.
Posted by: Ash Faulkner | May 14, 2007 at 20:49
Blears would drive me so mad I can't even hope she wins as a Conservative. I think Cruddas might be good for us - a good left-right civil war at the top of the Labour party might be fun to watch.
If I was a Labour member, electorally I'd go for Johnson or Benn. Ideologically, it's hard to say as I'm not a left-winger.
Posted by: IRJMilne | May 14, 2007 at 22:00
Anyone who joins Labour gets a vote ... why don't we all sign up and get ourselves the dream team? McDonell and my little chipmunk !
Posted by: Matt | May 14, 2007 at 23:17
Its rather amusing how the stories regarding McDonnell and his nomination are very vague. They arent even sure yet if he will even be on the ballot!
Posted by: James Maskell | May 15, 2007 at 09:33
Why do so many people want to be deputy leader of the Labour Party?
Because the leadership position is a foregone conclusion, people are positioning themselves with regard to Gordon Brown, although it isn't just that, under Labour's constitution if the leader resigns or dies then the Deputy Leader becomes leader. In fact if Michael Meacher or John McDonnell really wanted to have a chance of becoming Prime Minister their best chance would have been to run for the Deputy Leadership.
Nominations also opened for the leadership of the party today but the only interesting aspect to that is who Meacher and McDonnell decide should challenge Brown.
It's John McDonnell who is standing, Michael Meacher last night was talking on Radio 5 Live saying that John McDonnell had more support and so he was standing aside to let John McDonnell run and get a left candidate onto the ballot. John McDonnell though is going to rather unpalatable for most in the Electoral College even if he gets the minimum nominations.
Posted by: Yet Another Anon | May 15, 2007 at 11:42
I'd much rather the Blairite Blears - that would send Brown balistic!
Posted by: Oberon Houston | May 15, 2007 at 11:54
Jon Cruddass is a decent & likeable man (from his media image, I don't know him!).
So I hope the Hain gets it. Guaranteed to be an allergen to 89%(*) of the population. Rouses pacifists to cushion-pummelling apoplexy. Makes cats flee the room, mewing pitifully. Perma-slime orange tan acts as early warning of arrival.
[(*) This figure derived from a poll of poles, (c) Con Home]
Posted by: Graeme | May 15, 2007 at 12:45
As Stephen Pollard and Oliver Kamm have pointed out already, John McDonnell is an overt supporter of the Provisional IRA. He is therefore unfit to be an MP, let alone leader of the Labour Party, although many Labour members no doubt share his views.
Posted by: Michael McGowan | May 15, 2007 at 13:34
It's hilarious to see all the NuLab comrades knifing their best asset. Benn is by far their most attractive candidate in the marginals and will be kept off the ballot paper due to a typical commie conspiracy.
Serves them right. they can cry about it in opposition
Posted by: DavidGreen | May 15, 2007 at 14:50
Apparently Gordon Brown already has 282 nominations officially recorded by Labour and John McDonnell only 27 - this leaves 43 Labour MPs so far undeclared of which John McDonnell needs 18 otherwise Gordon Brown is Leader Elect pending only attendance at 10 sets of Hustings and then the declaration by the NEC on 24 June. It would be interesting to know who the undeclared MPs are although presumably 18 of them are supporters of Michael Meacher suggesting substantial divisions in the Socialist Campaign Group.
As I understand it nominations can be withdrawn and re-allocated to other candidates so I suppose there is the possibility of Michael Meacher re-entering the fray or some kind of unity candidate.
Posted by: Yet Another Anon | May 15, 2007 at 20:32