Monday 7 June 2010

I would vote Diane Abbott for Leader of the Labour Party‏

Labour are looking for a high profile candidate that the people like. Then Labour MP's should look no further than Diane Abbott MP. She is popular with the public and increased her majority to one of Labours highest. Diane Abbott comes across as a 'real person' with strong views and not a career politician despite being an MP for 23 years.

It is a real shame then that Diane is unlikely to even get passed the first phase. Many of course would of had their favourites of the expected candidates and would not of expected Diane to stand which would effect her nominations.

Diane recently said that the nominations threshold is "ridiculous" and was designed to "strangle the left", see here. This is because Charles Clarke designed the current system under Neil Kinnock and he boasted to Diane that he had devised it precisely to block the Left. Under the current system candidates need 33 nominations,Which is 1/8th of the currently party. This appears to now be all but impossible with so many MP's already nominating David Miliband, Ed Miliband and Ed Balls and now Andy Burnham.

Diane Abbott is also different in many ways to the New Labourites listed above. No not because she is black or a woman but because she voted against polices she did not agree with and now doesn't need to be seen as making u-turns on Europe or immigration as Diane has a tack record of not always backing New Labour.

Of course not enough Labour MP's will get behind Diane. Many of course would of had their favourites of the expected candidates and would not of expected Diane to stand which would effect her nominations.  The other reason is because this will single them out to be rebels and they may not find jobs on the shadow cabinet once the New Labour leader is selected.

I believe the other Labour women simply did not stand because they thought they would not of gained the nominations. Surely 33 MP's is too high and this should be perhaps a percentage of Labour MP's say 5%. which would be about 13 MP's at the moment.

I think Next Labour or New Next Labour shouldn't move too far to the right otherwise we may find that they will shoot right past the Liberal Democrats or only the Greens end up being the choice of the Left or leave the Left with no choice. Labour do need this debate but at the moment the 'debate' is looking more and more one sided.

Todays link is to Left Foot Forward which has an article on Labour leadership candidates line up to attack Coalition over cuts.

10 comments:

  1. I think it is a terrible shame Abbott may be eliminated, and the PLP, as far as i can see, make up a very small part of the leadership voting system, it just seems a tad ridiculous. To make it really fair they should lower the threshold quite considerably (You don't want candidates who cant command confidence of at least a small handful) And let the wider voting peoples decide. Next Labour? Interesting name for it.

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  2. It is a shame, BTW David Miliband called it Next Labour, silly name if you ask me. see http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7128845.ece

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  3. Oh dear that's ridiculous. I think they should just not bother, this whole 'New', 'Next', 'Change' stuff is so overworked. Just stick with 'Labour Party' really, plain and simple and the truth. Too much to ask for?

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  4. The Labour Party surely that would never work

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  5. Perhaps, it is a silly thought, too outlandish to even contemplate.

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  6. The "left wing" labour MP who refused to send her son to the local comprehensive school as our leader? I don't think so somehow

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  7. KJ true but she knows like we know that comperhendive schools in some parts of London are not the best thing unfortunately for her child, she would argue particularly for black boys. Her admission on this alone would infact spur her on to improve these schools so that those that cant afford to choose could also expect to go to a decent school.

    I would be interested to know what the local schools thought of her choice

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  8. happy for you Diane, give the other condidates (specially the miliband&balls)a lesson how to be real labour.working for previous cabinets members is the same as working in minimum wages jobs. i wonder why the labour party lost touch with the common people.

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  9. The BNP (Black National Party) you could do with more detail on your about us page

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  10. Diane Abbott has shown clearly by her racist ( and untrue) comments re 'West Indian women will go to the wall for their children-' some may but many more wont and indeed abandon them to be cared for by relatives while they beget more.

    That she considers herself a west Indian first and British second.

    Also in many comprehensives in London white children are the minority so why would they be bad for her child?

    She would be a disaster fort he Labour party as she is clearly a member of the do as I say not as I do party.

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