CHANGE - OR FACE A CHALLENGE

John McDonnell explains the background to last week's attempted coup - and why the left is pressing for change as the only way of saving Labour from electoral meltdown

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jun/12/labour-change?commentpage=1&commentposted=1

WHERE'S THE MORAL COMPASS?

As time goes by, it becomes increasingly clear that the COMPASS "left" is a chimera. I keep seeing articles by Trickett and Cruddas ( usually with policies first espoused by the LRC) calling for a change of direction but when it comes to actually standing up and being counted what do they do ? Very little.
At one time, such was Jon Cruddas's alleged championing of council housing that he was touted as a possible Minister - so where exactly was he when last night's rebellion over extra funds for social housing took place. Answer - nowhere to be seen.
Maybe he had a very good reason for not being there but I'm not impressed with the bridge-building which COMPASS is allegedly doing ( apart from with the Real Left)
Basically if you look at the list below, it is a mish-mash of long-standing Campaign Group MPs and mavericks like Kate Hoey and Frank Field. Where ( apart from Jon Trickett) is the so-called "soft left" I also note Ian Davidson MP, who signed a COMPASS Scotland statement calling for a return to "left" policies is absent from the list.
If we cannot defend more council housing then we're letting down those who need us most and we don't deserve their support. Sadly, it seems most Labour MPs , even those who like to talk left talk, prefer to hide their heads in the sand and carry on sleepingwalking, like lemmings, to electoral disaster. Cruddas said the other day there was "acres of territory" between him and the Campaign Group. Or, rather, clear red water.

For what it's worth, here is the list of rebels:
Colin Burgon (Elmet), Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley), Martin Caton (Gower), Michael Clapham (Barnsley West & Penistone), Katy Clark (Ayrshire North & Arran), Frank Cook (Stockton North), Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North), Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central), Ann Cryer (Keighley), Frank Dobson (Holborn & St Pancras), David Drew (Stroud), Frank Field (Birkenhead), Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North), John Grogan (Selby), David Hamilton (Midlothian), Dai Havard (Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney), Kate Hoey (Vauxhall).Lynne Jones (Birmingham Selly Oak), Peter Kilfoyle (Liverpool Walton), John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington), Bob Marshall-Andrews (Medway), Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton), Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby), Linda Riordan (Halifax), Dennis Skinner (Bolsover), Jon Trickett (Hemsworth), Paul Truswell (Pudsey), Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North)The two tellers for the ayes were Labour MPs: Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North), David Taylor (Leicestershire North West).