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Labour Deputy leadership: Question Time reaction
Watched Question Time last night with SB for the Labour Deputy Leadership contest. Took many notes, might try to write some coherent thoughts up on the whole debate, was very interesting. Following Sue's statement of preferences:
Biggest issue is how the Dep Leader will affect Labour's prospect at the next General Election. Unless things change drastically, I currently predict a Tory landslide; that has to be stopped. My personal ideal vote would, fairly obviously as already stated, be a hung Parliament resulting in a Labour/Lib Dem coalition prepared to actually carry out the necessary fundamental constitutional reforms we were promised in '97 and that Brown is hinting might actually now happen. On top of there's a personal factor, who comes across well and would be someone I (and other left-leaning liberals) could possibly work with. So, given I don't have a huge amount of time: .
Overall, I think Johnson won the debate, with, scarily, Harman second; she did well against Dimbleby as well, especially when he was being a bit sexist. I could live with Cruddas or Hain, but he really needed to up his game, and my intense dislike for Blears became stronger. I hope for Johnson, but think Harman has a strong chance, and she made a blatent play for Cruddas's second prefs near the end, a little too obvious for my tastes.
Will possibly transfer more thoughts as to the positioning elements, but really, if you are in position of a Labour vote; think carefully, as this one will make a huge difference to electoral chances, and I really really can't stand the idea of a Cameron landslide, which I think is what someone like Blears will help lead to.
Off now, Bradford and Soylent Green beckon...
1. Jon, 2. Peter, 3. Alan, 4. Harriet, 5. Hilary, 6. HazelI thought I'd summarise my thoughts. I don't have a vote, but some of you might (I know at least two do).
I did it based on the following, and in this order: (1) my opinion of how little they were likely to toe Gordon's line, (2) excessive toadying under Tony (3) voting record (4) school and (5) amount of union support.
Biggest issue is how the Dep Leader will affect Labour's prospect at the next General Election. Unless things change drastically, I currently predict a Tory landslide; that has to be stopped. My personal ideal vote would, fairly obviously as already stated, be a hung Parliament resulting in a Labour/Lib Dem coalition prepared to actually carry out the necessary fundamental constitutional reforms we were promised in '97 and that Brown is hinting might actually now happen. On top of there's a personal factor, who comes across well and would be someone I (and other left-leaning liberals) could possibly work with. So, given I don't have a huge amount of time: .
- Cruddas: Essentially he has the easiest ride of all the candidates; he's not in office, and can absolve himself of mistakes. He came across well, and genuine; he admitted mistakes, appeared both honest and forthright, rejected an "Old Labour" tag and stuck to the issues. I liked him, and disagreed with him less than I thought I would.
- Hain: Felt Peter dropped the ball on a number of issues, didn't push his belief in constitutional reforms even when there was an open goal in the questions, and the obviously anti- Labour opening question was fumbled very badly I thought, just didn't make sense.
- Johnson: Came across very well, and I was once again impressed, gave good answers and explained his positions well, I think I disagreed with him the least.
- Harman: Too slick. Too practiced. Too pat. Jennie thought her "I'm the woman candidate and we need a woman deputy because we need a woman deputy" answer was both patronising and pathetic. I concur. But, she did actually answer many questions well and made a few very good points. Especially agreed with her on Guantanamo.
- Benn: As usual, OK, likeable, but nothing really grabbed me, I expected to like him the most except Cruddas, but this wasn't to be.
- Blears: Well, what do you expect? Nothing impressed, she ducked questions, obfuscated, fumbled and came across incredibly badly; career aparatchik, nothing more
Overall, I think Johnson won the debate, with, scarily, Harman second; she did well against Dimbleby as well, especially when he was being a bit sexist. I could live with Cruddas or Hain, but he really needed to up his game, and my intense dislike for Blears became stronger. I hope for Johnson, but think Harman has a strong chance, and she made a blatent play for Cruddas's second prefs near the end, a little too obvious for my tastes.
Will possibly transfer more thoughts as to the positioning elements, but really, if you are in position of a Labour vote; think carefully, as this one will make a huge difference to electoral chances, and I really really can't stand the idea of a Cameron landslide, which I think is what someone like Blears will help lead to.
Off now, Bradford and Soylent Green beckon...