Jon Cruddas had my vote until Wednesday May 16 at around 8.30pm. That was when John McDonnell had to concede it was "mathematically impossible" to get the 45 nominations required to get on the leadership ballot. One of the major reasons why that just didn't happen was down to the ambivalent and, frankly, shameful attitude of the soft-left MPs in the Compass Group. These are the people who have shared platforms on anti-Trident demonstrations, walked into division lobbies against top-up fees, supported measures like the Trade Union Freeedom Bill and defended council housing. Yet when push came to shove off they marched again - into the lemming-like rush to sign Gordon Brown's nomination papers. In Cruddas's case, this particular signature might well be his political death warrant.It's not about recriminations or being vindictive. I just have no time for hypocrites.
Read this week's Tribune. Cruddas says the Deputy Leadership election is " an unrivalled opportunity to refresh and renew our Party structures and our policy direction." Yes, the reason it is "unrivalled" is that the PLP, Cruddas included, has just performed the most undemocratic act in the Labour Party's history - and denied the membership a vote on the leadership.
And here he is again:""We have to examine why it is that half our members have left in the past 10 years and what we can do to build the party again as an active, community-based and campaigning organisation." Yes, Jon, a leadership contest would have been a start, wouldn't it? Just take a gander at the John4Leader website and read the posts from distraught members thinking of tearing up their cards.
Let me be clear. I'm not writing this in anger, late at night, or under the influence of alcohol!
In the past seven days I have thought about this long and hard. But I'm still not falling into line with the Morning Star, which today said we should put aside "hurt feelings and ruffled feathers" and vote for Jon Cruddas.
This is not a trivial spat, nor the Schadenfreude of factional in-fighting . The fact is that Jon Cruddas based almost his entire campaign around grassroots involvement and Party democracy. He has helped deny us both. I think that is dishonourable. And the non-event of the Deputy Leadership just doesn't make up for that. Sorry.
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4 comments:
The lady doth protest too much, Susan. If you don't to vote for Cruddas you don't have to. I am really bemused by the amount of web space Cruddas is taking amongst the left. Says to me he's far more influential than ever I thought. I might now vote for him myself seeing as both left and right seem so frightened of him.
He's still the best candidate
I'm not frightened of him. Neither is Gordon, I daresay.I just have no time for the man.
He's still the best candidate
...to replace Galloway on Celebrity Big Brother maybe, but no he is not worth voting for (much less publicly endorsing) in this election which is in any case utterly pointless.
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