ERITH AND THAMESMEAD CANCELLED

I'm astounded to learn that the selection tomorrow in Erith and Thamesmead has been cancelled. Apparently, a ballot box has been tampered with.This raises fundamental questions about what on earth is going on with the selection processes for PPCs. Clearly, in Calder Valley, we have been right to raise issues and I'm expecting some serious answers from the Labour Party.


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6115915.ece

ORWELLIAN WORLD.....

The NEC has just issued the following missive on the leadership issue. Quelle surprise. Those MPs requesting nomination papers are being blocked .Much as I think little of any of the plotters, surely this is against all notion of democracy ? Nothing new there, then as far as Labour Conference goes......



16 September 2008
Internal procedural debates will not divert the Labour Party from building a fairer Britain -
Dianne Hayter, Chair of the Labour Party's National Executive Committee (NEC) and speaking on their behalf, said:"The Labour Party National Executive Committee is in agreement that internal procedural debates will not divert the Labour Party from our mission of building a fairer Britain and helping people through these challenging times."The NEC fully endorses the view of the Labour Party's General Secretary and the party's independent legal advisors. A Leadership election when in Government can only be held if requested by a majority of party conference on a card vote, only Labour MPs can trigger the process and the NEC is confident that most MPs know their responsibilities under the rules."The Labour Party has followed this procedure for 11 years, as long as we have been in government under these present rules, and it has not required the issue of nomination forms at any time."The NEC has a responsibility to ensure the party follows these long-standing procedures and we will do so. The Labour Party will not waver from its historic responsibilities to our country and to those in greatest need."