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John Rentoul
John Rentoul is chief political commentator for The Independent on Sunday, and visiting fellow at Queen Mary, University of London, where he teaches contemporary history. Previously he was chief leader writer for The Independent. He has written a biography of Tony Blair, whom he admired more at the end of his time in office than he did at the beginning.
You can contact John in the comments area or email him at j.rentoul@independent.co.uk
You can contact John in the comments area or email him at j.rentoul@independent.co.uk
Further to my comment about David Miliband's decision to stay and fight for the country and the party that he loves, Events Dear Boy, Events is sceptical about the need for a Labour leadership contest if a vacancy should arise before the general election. How is a leadership election going to be organised in the time remaining before the election? It would be a distraction when resources should be focused on attacking the Tory party.
An alternative would be to suspend the leadership rules and for the Cabinet nominate either Miliband or Johnson.
If Brown does depart in rather unique circumstances, this would surely be acceptable to the Labour party?
An alternative would be to suspend the leadership rules and for the Cabinet nominate either Miliband or Johnson.
If Brown does depart in rather unique circumstances, this would surely be acceptable to the Labour party?
That is Number 170 in my series of Questions to Which the Answer is No.
It does not take that long to run a leadership election, even in Labour's case, which involves balloting nearly 4 million trade union members. Resources are more of an issue, but the trade unions will pay for their part for fear of being excluded, and the Labour Party is - theoretically - committed to a ballot of its members before the election anyway. (Little-noticed rule change in 2007: the party must put its programme, or draft manifesto, to a one member, one vote ballot; they may be hoping it stays little-noticed.)
But a distraction? From what? Gordon Brown's steady and persuasive leadership? A leadership contest, unlike normal zombie service, would be focused on attacking the Tory party: the selectorate will vote for whichever candidate is best placed to minimise Conservative gains.
And anyway, it would be democratic and right, unlike the unopposed election of two years ago.
Photos: PA
Comments
You're still right though, and for my money, they'd be better getting it out of the way before the election, instead of neutering their opposition in the first months of the new Tory government, like the Tories in 1997.