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Manchester Central Shortlist confirmed

March 28, 2012 3:16 pm

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8 longlisted candidates were interviewed by the party to establish who would be shortlisted for the upcoming Manchester central selection.

There have been suggestions that popular local councillor Afzal Khan was “missing” from the shortlist – but I’m told Khan didn’t put his name forward for the seat. I’ve also been reassured by some of those close to the process that every effort has been made to ensure that members have a genuine choice of strong local candidates (something which has not always been the case in past selections).

However the proof of whether or not the party is changing the way it goes about selections will only be seen when strong shortlists for all selections are seen as the norm. It will be a real test for General Secretary Iain McNicol to ensure that such a step change in selection procedures takes place.

The four candidates shortlisted are:

Mike Amesbury – born in Wythenshawe in South Manchester and a Labour Party member since the 80s. Active UNISON member. Has worked as a careers adviser and party staff member including North West Regional Organiser. Currently full-time Executive Member for Culture & Leisure on Manchester City Council. Lives with his wife and young son.

Rosa Battle – involved with politics from a young age, Battle is the daughter of Manchester City Council’s deputy leader Jim Battle (and niece of former Leeds MP John Battle). She is councillor for the Bradford ward and assistant executive for the Culture & Leisure portfolio, supporting fellow Manchester Central candidate Mike Amesbury, who is the executive member – the portfolio includes youth provision and Rosa tends to take the lead on youth issues. Rose lives with her wife and baby son.

Lucy Powell – born and raised in Manchester attending a local Comprehensive School, Powell joined the Labour Party at 15. Lucy went on to work as Director of Britain in Europe before working for NESTA to establish the Manchester Innovation Fund and was the Labour candidate for Manchester Withington in 2010 where Labour increased its vote by 3000. After the election Lucy was appointed Campaign Manager for Ed Miliband’s Leadership Campaign and after his victory became acting Chief of Staff and now Deputy Chief of Staff. Lucy is married to James and has 2 children. And she’s the frontrunner.

Patrick Vernon – lived in the Hulme area of Manchester during 1980s whilst studying for a law degree. After leaving Manchester Metropolitan University he volunteered for the Citizens Advice Bureaux servicing before moving back to Wolverhampton where he was born. Chief Executive of the Afiya Trust (one of the leading race equality health charities in the country), Patrick has previously worked Manager for Citizens Advice Bureau; as a senior civil servant at the Department of Health and at the Local Government Association; Director of the Brent Health Action Zone (Brent Primary Care Trust),and Regional Director for MIND. Patrick is former Non Executive Director of Camidoc (GP out of hour’s service in North London) and a trustee for Social Action for Health in East London. Vernon is also a Councillor in Hackney where he has chaired Health Scrutiny and Public Health Peer Reviewer.

The selection takes place on April 16th

James

I am writing here today to vent my frustration at the Labour party

I have been a member of the Party since i was 18 (some 20 years ago) and last week I applied to be the candidate for my hometown constituency but i only ever received acknowledgement that my application had been received and today interviews are being conducted for the candidacy.

but let me tell you about my CV, so you can understand my outrage.

I was born and raised in Moss Side,
state educated through primary, high school and college, where through hard work I was able to receive straight As
I was lucky enough to be accepted to study at the London School of Economics where I studied Economics and Mathematics and graduated with a first (95%) even though i had to work 3 part time jobs to put my self through university,
After I finished at university I went to study my Masters in Economics with Barlcays Bank, I then went to earn my PhD with the Bank of england.
I have worked at the Bank of England as an economic analyst between 2002 and 2010.
after finishing at the Bank of England I moved back to Manchester to teach economics.

over the years I have even donated thousands of pounds to the Labour party and have done all the campaign work that i could do now I have been ignored by them because they want to draft in another candidate even though I believe that I am one of the more qualified candidates.
- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=36910622 Edward Carlsson Browne
  
  You might believe you are one of the more qualified candidates. However those who got selected are three sitting councillors and one former PPC. This would tend to suggest that what you believe makes you qualified – your work experience and education qualifications – are not what the shortlisting panel was looking for – namely experience of having been a Labour representative.
  
  These candidates aren’t being drafted in – three of them live in Manchester already.
  - treborc
    
    Any good office or employer who has an interest in keep people whether they are qualified or not, should have a system in place saying Thank you James for applying at this time, but with the High number of very qualified people you have sadly missed out at this time.
    
    When you ignore people they tend to say stuff it I’m off and we end up with Purnell and the likes
    - http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=36910622 Edward Carlsson Browne
      
      I agree with that. Procedures do need to be in place to make sure everybody is told what’s going on.
      
      The names came out before the detail did, suggesting we have something that wasn’t quite a leak but was certainly released in haste. Waiting a day or two so unsuccessful candidates could receive an email would not have hurt.
- Lucky
  
  Good luck next time, not that you in anyway need it as much as others do!
- Dave Postles
  
  The CLP ought to send you some feedback.
  - James
    
    All I ever received was and e-mail saying that they have received my application and that they will be in touch, I have heard nothing since.
    
    This is where my frustration comes from.
    - Dave Postles
      
      Understood. I hope that they send you some substantive feedback.
    - ThePurpleBooker
      
      I genuinely think you would be a good MP but it seems to be me that maybe there could be a conflict of interest. What’s your name James?
- Chilbaldi
  
  Unlucky, I feel for you. Sometimes they put certain candidates on the shortlist so certain candidates find the selection meeting easier.
  
  Good luck getting selected elsewhere.
- Rachelstalker
  
  James
  
  Did you apply for the Future Candidates’ Programme? You are right that there are many people who are outstanding in their field who aren’t successful in parliamentary selections. Sophy Gardner in Feltham & Heston comes to mind. If selection was based purely on CV, Sophy would have walked the selection.
  
  But what I have learned is that it really is who you know not what you know in politics – and you kind of have to learn to live with it – and allow it to work to your advantage. Hey maybe there’ll be a vacancy for Ed Miliband’s Deputy Chief of Staff coming up soon!
  
  I do know one of the eight people who was longlisted in Manchester Central, who wasn’t a party insider and had only joined the party 18 months ago but the Labour Party obviously saw potential.
  - ThePurpleBooker
    
    Well, although Sophy Gardner would be a great candidate – we need more ex-servicemen and women in Parliament, Malhotra has ggot a better CV because she is very much from Feltham and Heston (born and bred in the constituency), she went to Warwick University, she has worked in thinkthanks and for the private sector but also she used to be a special adviser to Harriet Harman, when she was leader of the party so she was the best woman for the seat.
    - Chilbaldi
      
      In what way does going to Warwick make her stand out?
      - ThePurpleBooker
        
        Well it is a good university. She came from a lower middle-income family and went into a top Russell Group university, which is commendable!
      - Politique
        
        Excellent. Does that that mean if a member of the Labour Party had a degree from a Russell Group university and got a higher mark than Ed Miliband, does that that mean they have a chance of becoming Labour Leader
      - ThePurpleBooker
        
        Now your being plain stupid.
      - treborc
        
        And your not
      - ThePurpleBooker
        
        No, but you are.
      - treborc
        
        Silly boy
      - ThePurpleBooker
        
        Like you can talk!
      - treborc1
        
        Yes I can and write
      - ThePurpleBooker
        
        No you cannot talk on that issue since you are being rather childish!
    - treborc
      
      Purnell, Freud, Frankie the hit man Field, Blair, Mandy, well you could go on all day, the problem is they are all political people in it for what they can get out of it.
      
      Now look at the Miliband twins they are twins they have to be they both speak the same nonsense about middle class class politics, labour does not want to be seen as working class in case it upsets the middle class.
      
      get back to power why what for, the best place for you is where you are now.
- Politique
  
  Dear James,
  
  Equality of Opportunity is important. Unfortunately this is not recognised in the core executive of the Labour hierarchy. If candidates are outside the “inner circle”, once coined by a Blairite shadow cabinet minister, you no need apply.
  
  I have 100% respect on how you have taken the tough choices in life and made a success. This has to commended. It is clear you are a very educated individual from a humble background and you have returned to your roots. I presume to make good of yourself and give something back to your community.
  
  My take on this is that the organisational committee shortlist candidates based on an application form. But what is the criteria? What is the assessment process?Can it be scrutinised?Are there independent observer? There are many more questions to be answered. There are many other individuals who share you feelings . It is cruel but it is intentional.
  
  Ed Miliband promised to remove the more of the same culture…He has failed.
  Ed Miliband promised tochange the culture of the party to make it fairer…He failed.
  Ed Miliband promised to make the party and society less managerial and now will oversees an executive board…he failed
  Ed Miliband promised to be bold and courageous…He failed.
  
  He wishes to change party funding but refuses to change the party.
  
  I really feel for you James.
  
  When the time is right I have a story to be told.
  
  Broken Promises. More of the same.
  
  I get the feeling that this article has been placed to test the feeling in the labour roots and I urge every person, member, supporter, reader to express their disgust on the way the party is selecting candidates.
  
  Are you really listening Mr Miliband
- Alexwilliamz
  
  Far too much experience outside the political bubble to be a credible candidate, you might ruin the insulated feel good factor and bring some reality to bear.
- ThePurpleBooker
  
  Did you stand for the Manchester Central constituency? Why aren’t you on the shortlist, I mean you sound like a good candidate. Maybe start looking for another seat, perhaps try and ouste out Michael Meacher in Oldham West and Royton!
- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=697126564 Paul Halsall
  
  Frankly, you should post in your own name.
- Jeff_Harvey
  
  All that supposed education and you still start sentences with lower case letters and fail to end them with a full stop or capitalise the first letter of proper nouns and so on and so forth. Could your written application to become a Labour Party candidate have let you down do you think? Just shows what I’ve always suspected about pseudo-scientific non-disciplines like economics. Kids these days, eh?
  - AlanGiles
    
    Jeff, Well, I MEAN, I’m thinking of starting my own “colour” Labour group, so that I can be important just like wot all those posh Progress people are:
    
    Mine is “Sky Blue Pink With Yellow Dots On” Labour. It will be such a hothouse of intellectual discussion and aspiration that people like Luke Bozier, The Purple Booker and Georgia Gould will be busting a gut to join me. We will even start a magazine – quite a unique one in that there will be perferations at both ends of the paper
    - treborc1
      
      To much red colours in that lot you will be seen as a socialist.
    - Jeff_Harvey
      
      All this knockabout is kind of funny, Alan, but some people – AND I’M SURE YOU KNOW WHO I’M TALKING ABOUT! – take it far too far. Some recent postings on this site read more like the ravings of disturbed personalities than personal opinions aired via a public forum which others can take on board or leave at their discretion.
      
      In America members of criminally inclined street gangs announce their affiliation through gang colours and it seems that certain subgroups of Labour Party members have adopted the same tribal behaviour in respect to political opinion, such as it is, within what remains of the Labour Party proper.
      
      Silly, childish, ridiculous and divisive.
      
      This site used to enlighten.
      
      These days, more often than not, it simply irritates and annoys.
    - ThePurpleBooker
      
      How on earth am I blue or yellow! Get a grip and fcae reality. Why are youb against aspiration? In mean, Luke Bozier just keeps on talking rubbish (no one gave him the time of day and supports Romney over Obama), I don’t really share his politics since he is a fake Blairite. As I’ve said Georgia Gould is a good councillor.
      I mean you are really being pathetic!
      - AlanGiles
        
        ”
        I mean, Luke Bozier….
        I mean you are really being pathetic!”
        
        Well, I MEAN!
        
        You once claimed to be a journalist. Of the Glenda Slagg school no doubt….. and it has taken a whole week for you to come up with this little outburst, well – I MEAN!
Politique

Dear Mark,

Lets start the bets

4/11 that Lucy Powell wins the Manchester Central. She has the perfect pedegree.
Lives in London.
Worked for Ed Miliband Private Office
Parachuted in for the shortlist.
Oxbridge Educated
No life experience
Perfect

We will see. If the result goes as I expect it too, we will be looking at another election by the end of the year, that is for the Leadership of the Labour Party.

THIS IS NO LONGER A PARTY OF THE PEOPLE IT IS THE PARTY OF THE PRIVILEGE.

Control Freakery
- fed up of homogenised mps’s
  
  Absolutley, time to take this party back, we are becoming a joke, everyone knows it will be Lucy Powell
  - Politique
    
    Absolutely, Time to take this party Back. Any body agrees please continue below.
    
    “Time to take the party Back”
    - treborc
      
      Good luck to trying.
    - Chilbaldi
      
      I agree.
      
      PS – why are we all believing this Lucy Powell lives in Manchester guff? She is Ed Milliband’s chief of staff for goodness sake! Are we trying to suggest that Ed’s permanent office is in Manchester, and he gets the train down from Manchester Piccadilly every Wednesday for PMQs?!
      
      Stop the propaganda.
      - ThePurpleBooker
        
        Well she does live in Manchester, and she probably does get the train down from Picadilly people commute! So stop trying to spread your anti-Labour propoganda on this page.
- Luke Akehurst
  
  Lucy Powell lives in Manchester, was a candidate in Manchester Withington in 2010 and is a member of Manchester Central CLP. The shortlist includes 2 other v strong, credible local candidates. In what sense can she be accused of being parachuted?
  - treborc
    
    yes and she worked for Ed, same as my MP worked for Blair, seems working for a leader gets you in.
    - ThePurpleBooker
      
      No, that irrelevant. Look she is not even a proper SPAD she has only be working for Miliband for the last year and a half, and she was a good candidate in Withington!
      - treborc
        
        god help us, these people tour the country looking for a place
  - Politique
    
    Luke,
    I wish to take this opportunity to reply to the kind of defence that we expect from Blarite sympathesisers. Please do not try to justify with rhetoric. An animal works, lives and sleeps and is born in a barn it does not mean it’s a horse. If you are saying Ms Powell travelled every day from London to Manchester and didn’t live in London, I find that hard to believe.
    
    You appear to know much about the candidates that are shortlisted. I assume that your position on the NEC that you hold, places you in a better position than others to observe candidate details. I wonder whether you are on the organisation committee?
    
    Like many contributions, they express a dissatifaction with nepotism taking over the selection process.
    
    If you want to to be recognised and get on in the party, work with Ed, not necessarily hard work and you will get on on.
    
    Thats not the people or the party deciding its Ed and Harriet
- ThePurpleBooker
  
  Lucy Powell was born in Manchester. She lives in the Manchester Central constituency. She went to a state school in Manchester. Her family are from Manchester. She worked as a campaign director and now she is Ed Miliband’s deputy chief of staff!
  - http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Homfray/510980099 Mike Homfray
    
    The fact she works in Ed’s office really isn’t going to go down well, whatever way you look at it. Its sometimes about perceptions, and its obvious what the perception is going to be
Daniel Speight

Some candidates are seen as being part of the Labour Party establishment. As much as Luke Akehurst may decry it, that is the perception. It seems that this has continued on from the general election into the byelections. If Ed Miliband is going to make a change he is going to have to show that the perception is wrong. For if the PLP just clones itself, it is going to lose support among Labour activists.
ThePurpleBooker

Why isn’t Afzal Khan on the shortlist? He should become an MP!
- John Ruddy
  
  According to the story above (if you had read it) he never applied.
  - ThePurpleBooker
    
    I made this comment when the story above wasn’t there!
barsacq

James, the only thing to do is scupper the chosen candidate’s campaign as much as you can. You’re known locally, they won’t be, so locals will have greater faith in you than them. It seems this is the only way the leadership of the party is going to understand the many grievances it creates in constituency parties by running an exclusive nepotistic candidates club.
Kokopops

I think you are being harsh on Lucy Powell and Ed Milliband.

Constituency members may vote however way they may like, however surely a constituency would benefit if they have a high profile candidate as, if Labour is in government then they are perhaps more likely to attract investment and funding to their constituency so having a candidate close to the PM (Ed Milliband) then Manchester Central could gain with someone fighting their corner at the highest level.

Lucy Powell was born and brought up in Manchester and is a member of Manchester Central CLP – so why should it be an issue if she wants to run (and win the candidacy for the seat). Seema Malhotra was born and brought up in Feltham and Heston constituency so likewise. They have understandings of the locals and can represent fairly decently surely.

Surely the issue comes about when you get a candidate with absolutely no connection to the constituency (NOT the case with Lucy Powell and Seema Malhotra) e.g. James Purnell, Kitty Ussher, Ruth Kelly, Liam Byrne who perhaps may not fight for the constituency in the same way as a local as they may not know the area etc and being the MP is just a career enhancer instead.

Lucy Powell hasn’t been parachuted (which I disagree with) in the way people have said on these boards – Parachuting would be if Ed or the Labour hierachy decided they wanted Maurice Glasman (Blue Labour Godfather) to have a seat in the Commons so imposed him onto Manchester Central even though he may have no connection to the seat (I know he is in the Lords and is now persona non grata to Ed).

Give Lucy Powell and Ed Miliband a break – there’s no ‘parachuting’ involved!

PS I must admit, it would be nice to have candidates from wide backgrounds e.g. Armed Services, nurses, doctors too and hope going forward we do get people who have lived a life despite the business of politics.
- http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Homfray/510980099 Mike Homfray
  
  I agree with all that: unfortunately its going to come down to perceptions. Which is annoying and inevitable
- Politique
  
  Surely the issue comes about when you get a candidate with absolutely no connection to the constituency…….Ed Miliband.
- treborc
  
  PS I must admit, it would be nice to have candidates from wide
  backgrounds e.g. Armed Services, nurses, doctors too and hope going
  forward we do get people who have lived a life despite the business of
  politics.
  
  Lets see council workers, care workers, not doctors but how about porters, we have enough people from the middle to upper middle class, then again I suspect we have to form another party for that, since labour has become middle class
Kokopops

What would be interesting is if the boundary changes do go ahead as it is now - Lucy Powell (if she wins the seat) would be up against Hazel Blears for the selection of the new seat!!
- ThePurpleBooker
  
  Blears will win, and Powell will fight Withington which under the proposals is a Labour seat with parts of Manchester Central in it. I don’t think the proposals will get through. Labour doesn’t support it, Plaid Cymru doesn’t support it, there will be a humungous Tory rebellion over it (IDS might walk out) and the Lib Dems don’t support it. The Tories will drop it in exchange for no Lords reform.
ThePurpleBooker

I know where Patrick Vernon should stand! Brent Central (or Willesden as it could be under the boundary changes)!
ThePurpleBooker

These are my recommendations for candidates for winnable for upcoming by-elections until the next election in 2015:
Manchester Central – Lucy Powell (by-election in November)
Cardiff South and Penarth – Brian Tomlinson (by-election likely to be in November)
Cardiff Central – Jeremy Miles
Manchester Withington – Afzal Khan
Brent Central – Patrick Vernon
Brighton Kemptown – Sally Bercow
Ealing Central and Acton – Dr Rupa Huq
Basildon South and East Thurrock – Jordan Newell
Holborn and St Pancras (if Dobson retires) – Georgia Gould
Vauxhall (if Hoey retires) – Steve Reed
Brentford and Isleworth – Sophy Gardner
Bermondsey and Old Southwark – Rowenna Davis
Hampstead and Kilburn – Tulip Siddiq
Bristol West – Jo McCarron
Hornsey and Wood Green – Victoria Powell
Bradford East – Simon Young
——————————————————–
Other candidates I suggest would be: Jessica Asato, James Purnell, Dawn Butler, Joe Goldberg
- ThePurpleBooker
  
  (cont’d)
  Croydon Central – Andrew Pelling
  Battersea – Stuart King
  Ilford North – Wes Streeting
  Norwich North – Dave Rowntree
  Other candidates: Phillipa Latimer, James Mills, Aaron Porter, Parmjit Dhanda, Alex Hilton, Josie Channer, Mike Amesbury, Steve Richards, Sally Gimson, Terry Paul, Meredydd Hughes
  ————————————————————————————————-
  - Kokopops
    
    Didn’t Alex Hilton write a pretty scathing letter about Ed Miliband, I’m thinking he may have already burnt a bridge too far.
    
    Aaron Porter was a useless NUS Chair and besides which he has done nowt else so again another career politician – although he probably will run for the Croydon North constituency and hope he does not get it for this very reason. I think Louisa Woodley (contesting Croydon and Sutton GLA) would be the most likely person, or Alisa Flemming (Croydon councillor and Malcolm Wicks Constituency case worker).
    
    Andrew Pelling would make sense for Croydon Central, having been the Tory and then Independent MP until 2010.
    
    I would love to see Dawn Butler back and think she will recontest Brent Central and will win vs Sarah Teather.
    
    I think Johanna Baxter (NEC) should run and dethrone the-now-hapless Simon Hughes in Bermondsey and Old Southwark.
    
    I think either Fiona Millar or Alistair Campbell will run for the Hampstead and Kilburn seat. Or even Eddie Izzard (although he may seek the 2016 Mayoral Labour candiditure – he may even try out for the Hornsey and Wood Green seat.
    
    A good candidate at Hornsey and Wood Green will unseat Lynne Featherstone.
    
    Rupa Huq would be a good choice for Ealing Central and Acton.
    
    Sophy Gardner would be awesome for Brentford and Isleworth and I think will be appealing to the 30somethings in that seat that swung it to the Tories in 2010.
    
    I think Sally Bercow would try for the Vauxhall seat and wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes an All Women Shortlist, just simply because I think when Harriet steps down in ~2020, her seat would surely be an AWS so the neighbouring seats of Lewisham Deptford, Dulwich and West Norwood, which both have strong female, former ministers will unlikely do so and will be Open shortlist. This leaves Vauxhall, another South London seat perhaps adopting AWS.
    
    Ellie Reeves (sister of Rachel Reeves and NEC member) will probably run and win the Lewisham Deptford seat.
    
    I would love to see Julie Morgan back as MP for Cardiff North, she overthrew the Tory incumbent for the same Welsh seat last year.
    
    I would love to see Vaughan Gething as MP for Cardiff South and Penrath, he already is the Welsh Assembly member for the same seat.
    
    Marvin Rees for Bristol South.
    - ThePurpleBooker
      
      Alex Hilton is an experienced PPC, I think he still has a chance.
      Aaron Porter is extremely popular within the party and he has got a very high profile, it is very likely that he will be the candidate. Dawn Butler will not contest Brent Central, I can bet money on it, I mean she was thrown out as the MP because of concerns over expenses. We need a fresh candidate and Patrick Vernon is the right person, since he has close links with Brent.
      I don’t know about Johanna Baxter’s links to Bermondsey and Old Southwark, but I know that Rowenna Davis, the journalist and local councillor, is a favourite and so are a few other people in Southwark Council. My money is on Rowenna.
      Fiona Millar has ruled out contesting Hampstead and Kilburn. Tulip Siddiq is a Cabinet member and a local councillor with ambitions as well.
      I can’t imagine Eddie Izzard becoming an MP at the next election, but I am almost certain that Hornsey and Wood Green will be race between Adam Jogee, possibly Joe Goldberg, maybe Vera Baird but definately Victoria Powell. Powell will get it since he is in her 30s, she is very successful and she has already been looking for a seat. Sally Bercow has confirmed her desire to stand for Brighton Kemptown – I doubt know where you got Vauxhall, from? Steve Reed is a highly popular council leader who is on the right of the party and will get the backing of the leadership, which will be refreshing after twenty six years of Hoey! I don’ think Jaon Ruddock will stand down but if she does I know that Damien Egan will stand for the seat. Brian Tomlinson would be a better candidate for Cardiff South and Penarth – just look at his CV but Vaughan Gething might go for Cardiff Central but Jeremy Miles is the obvious candidate for one of the other Cardiff seats. I agree with you on Marvin Rees.
      Also:
      Blackburn – Will Straw
      - Guest
        
        My god all of this is enough to make me tear my hair out. Who you know?
      - http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Homfray/510980099 Mike Homfray
        
        This sort of thing really does sum up the problem with labour selections. Lots of people from the London chatterati bigging each other up. Horrible
      - Guest
        
        All dividing up seats amongst themselves
      - http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Homfray/510980099 Mike Homfray
        
        Exactly – but there’s no party within a party, you know? Progress should be expelled. More damaging than Militant ever knew how to be – at least they were small an insignificant.These people have infiltrated the party right to the core to turn it into a wishy-washy centre party, dedicated to the market and monetarist economics
      - treborc1
        
        God your spot on, and in the end all we will end up with is a second rate Tory Mini party for the middle class.
      - ThePurpleBooker
        
        That is utter crap. The Militant group, which I think you are a part of (deep down), lost the Labour Party an election. It poisoned the party making it unelectable, just because of ideological crusades towards Tony Benn’s (that egotistical toff) holy grail of the far-left.
        The thing is Progress is actually coming up with policy ideas which challenge both the neoliberalism of the free-market and the dominance of the big state. How is that wishy washy or monetarist? I mean you clearly do not know what you are on about, you’ve lost the plot!
      - AlanGiles
        
        You lost the plot years ago. Everyone who dares to disagree with you is either a “Trot” or a member of “Militant” (which hasn’t existed foir 25+ years anyway)
        
        Why don’t you just do everyone – including yourself – a favour and go away. You pretend to, know it all, but you know little.
        
        If you had your way Labour would just be a branch office of the Conservatives. Lot’s of “nice” people, lawyers and the like, making lots of lovely money, and nobody who has had any experience of real hard work. Physical work, jobs outside politics. That sort of thing.
      - ThePurpleBooker
        
        The problem with Vaughan Gething becoming our candidate right away means that the party will have another by-election in the AM, and he is a new AM so he’d probably will be an MP soon but not right away. Also, Brian Tomlinson is a new, intelligent and young lawyer from a very working class family, born and bred in Penarth and went to a local comprehensive school but is now an Oxbridge-educated lawyer working in the City, making alot of money. He was also PPC for Twickenham as well so he prominent in the leadership.
        Bercow has basically confirmed her ambitions to take Brighton Kemptown. I have to say I was wrong on Brent Central since I know for sure that Dawn Butler is going to get the candidacy but Patrick Vernon may go to Wolverhampton South West and take that seat instead.
  - Chilbaldi
    
    Please not Wes Streeting, I beg you.
    - ThePurpleBooker
      
      He is a former President of the NUS, he is a political activist, a consultant and he is also councillor in Redbridge. He was from a working-class family in Tower Hamlets then went onto get a first’s from Cambridge! He’s the kind of person we want as an MP. Plus, Labour should try and get more LGBT candidates in Westminster.
  - Graham Peasantry
    
    Are you mad? (Or just, presumably, a Progress supporter, as your screen name would suggest…) Pelling, the man who was suspended from the party of misogyny for being accused of beating his pregnant wife? And the man who allegedly described his constituents as ‘chavs’?
    
    Aaron Porter, the only Labour member (in opposition) worthy of generating a crowd of angry protestors wherever he goes? Who sent secret briefings to his supporters telling them that the government’s higher education reforms were progressive?
    
    More to the point, is there anyone on this list who has a working-class job? Anyone who works in a factory? A call centre? A supermarket? I thought not. Because for some in our party, class prejudice is alive and well. All very well to have a man from a working-class background… if he pulled himself up by his bootstraps and slipped through to get a first at Cambridge. What about those that didn’t? Lipservice. Disgraceful.
    - ThePurpleBooker
      
      I have made the proposed list so encompasses people from all professions, business, law, politics, police etc. If you bknew what you were talking about you would know that. Pelling is not sexist, he was suspended and it was found out that it was a lie other wise he would not be in the Labour Party. He was invited back and he refused to join. His politics has moved to the left as well.
    - Kokopops
      
      Andrew Pelling was cleared on that allegation and sued the newspaper who made the allegations. He is more to the left of the party and not some Progress clone, as you make out. I must admit that if all the people ThePurpleBooker tips to be in the PLPs, it will very depressing!
      - ThePurpleBooker
        
        How are my suggestions depressing. They are a group of a diverse range of individuals with something to contribute, who I and others have been informed will be likely to be in Parliament in 2015. Businessmen, soldiers, ex-MPs, councillors, activists, artists, prison officials, spads, journalists, lawyers, ex-civil servants etc. How is that depressing?
        Pelling is just Labour, not a Tory, not left not right, not a “Progress clone” not a Socialist Campaigner, he is just an local activist who loves Croydon dearly who has joined our party and who should be in Parliament. I have tipped these people on likelihood, rumour and confirmation from friends in the party, it isn’t completely made up like your suggestion that Sally Bercow could contest Vauxhall.
        I’ve got a very strong feeling that Kitty Ussher, the former MP for Burnley, will contest Vauxhall if Kate Hoey retires from Parliament which is likely. She has said that she would return to politics when her child were older, she is still widely respected and she is still contributing to economic policy, through Progress and In the Black Labour. She is from Lambeth, she calls herself a “Brixton enthusiast” and she was a councillor in the Vassal ward, which is in the Vauxhall constituency. If that happens, and I think it will, then Steve Reed will probably contest Dulwich and West Norwood, and he probably will be successful. Tessa Jowell will not be in the shadow cabinet for long, and like John Denham it’s likely she will retire at the next election since by then she would have been an MP for 23 years and she has had a distinguished front bench career of which she can take great pride, especially as Culture Secretary over the London Olympics.
        But I was wrong on Dawn Butler, she has confirmed to people that she is going for Brent Central. I have another feeling that if Virenda Sharma were to retire as well, which is very likely since he would have been in politics for a long time and will be quite old by then, I suspect Parmjit Dhanda will go for the seat unless Ed Miliband shows some tough leadership over some disruptive people on the left and deselects John McDonnell so that Dhanda can go for Hayes and Harlington but I doubt that will happen because to be fair, McDonnell despite his disruptiveness is a good MP and will stand as an Independent if he is forced out. So it seems Dhanda will just go for Ealing Southall.
      - ThePurpleBooker
        
        I.
      - ThePurpleBooker
        
        I would clarify that Parmjit Dhanda, is not made up (unlike Kokopos various ludicrous and ill-informed suggestions that Sally Bercow will contest Vauxhall or Alastair Campbell will go for Hampstead and Kilburn). He is from West London, born and raised there. He worked as an organizer there, and was touted for Feltham and Heston. It’s also clear that he wants to return to Parliament and has the support of the remaining PLP.
        However, if Kitty Ussher didn’t return to the Commons she could get a peerage (assuming Lords reform won’t go through – and it won’t). Umm… The Rt. Hon. Baroness Ussher of Brixton PC?
      - Brumanuensis
        
        Ussher? Oh God. She was utterly useless as a minister and I seem to remember she helped Purnell come up with that crisis loans idea. Her recent article on LabourList – the one on welfare – was an absolute travesty as well.
        
        Also, John McDonnell may occasionally be a prat – see his IRA comments – but he’s a good local MP who’s built a sizeable majority in a seat that was Tory between 1983 and 1997. Not bad for a member of the LRC.
      - ThePurpleBooker
        
        I liked her article on welfare because it hits home to where Labour needs to be on welfare. She is right. Kitty Ussher was a good minister in government, she in fact expanded coops, credit unions and building societies and helped poor people to save and contribute through NI. Had it not been from her problems balancing home life, being an MP and being a minister as well as concerns over wrongly claiming over her CGT, she could be Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury by now or even a candidate for the Shadow Chancellorship.
        John McDonnell is disgraceful, but I agree we would be wrong to get rid of him immediately because he is such a good local MP. Parmjit Dhanda seems to be looking to return, I suspect he won’t re-contest Gloucester but stand in a West London seat like Ealing Southall or Hayes and Harlington, depending if they step down at the next election.
      - AlanGiles
        
        ” Kitty Ussher was a good minister in government,”
        
        …and yet another expenses scrounger. You seem to go for liars and cheats. You shouldn’t make hero’s of people who can’t be trusted and are hypocritical in the extreme.
      - JohnRentoulFan
        
        ThePurpleBooker is right. She was a good minister, but paid back all the money. Galloway also fiddled his expenses, more than she did, why do you make a hero of him….
      - AlanGiles
        
        John Rentol Fan (well I suppose there had to be one somewhere)
        
        I am not making a hero out of GG. He has to be given credit however, for giving Labour a good thrashing at Bradford West, and – perhaps(?) shaking Labour out of it’s complacency and taking it’s core vote for granted.
        
        A lot of them like Usher, did repay money they obtained falsely (including Blears) but only after they were found out and named and shamed
  - treborc
    
    Pretty middle of the road middle class people, should give Ed a few hours sleep not to many working class.
    - ThePurpleBooker
      
      There a working class people there.
      - treborc1
        
        Yes all middle class, as is of course the labour party.
        
        How about a nurse, a milk man we still have them, a bin person, or a bloody unemployed painter and decorator, give them a chance to earn a neat wage.
      - ThePurpleBooker
        
        No, you are wrong again Treborc. Putting aside your class war-based politics, there are people from middle-class rand working-class backgrounds and a wide range of professions such as lawyers, policemen, activists, youth workers, councillors, journalists, private sector consultants, motivational speakers, media personalities, artists, soldiers, businessmen, health workers, prison workers, economists, special advisers and civil servants. There are many LGBT people, BAME people and women which is in stark contrast from the disgrace of these people not being represented in Parliament. So I’ve suggested a real diverse pool of talent from all different classes, backgrounds and professions from different wings of the party (James Mills on the left to James Purnell on the right). So, you are wrong Treborc – it isn’t a “middle class road of people”!
- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=697126564 Paul Halsall
  
  Who are you?
  
  What is your name?
- Brumanuensis
  
  (Just read this)
  
  I would say most of those names are excellent choices, PurpleBooker, particularly Sophy Gardner, Steve Reed, Afzal Khan and Rupa Huq. A yes to Jess Asato too.
  
  However. Georgia Gould? Why? Why? Why?
  
  You know my opinons on J**** P****** already, so no more on that.
  - ThePurpleBooker
    
    I’m glad you think I’ve made excellent suggestions, btw you seem to be endorsing a real range of “Purple” people. Steve Reed is a fantastic Leader of Lambeth Council, he is an author in the Purple Book, a leading member of Progress and was attacked by some (like you) who called Lambeth Council more New Labour than New Labour. Rupa Huq and Jess Asato are also “Purple” (Asato is a Blairite).
    Georgia Gould would have made a good MP in Erith and Thamesmead, but Teresa Pearce was the best candidate and Melanie Johnson stirred up and bullied in that selection which played to Georgia Gould’s disadvantage. A friend in the Holborn and St Pancras CLP tells me that it is just been accepted that when Frank Dobson retires, which seems to be in 2015 though he is refusing to reveal, then Georgia Gould will become the MP. She is young, intelligent and a good councillor who clearly wants to be an MP and why not?James Purnell is brilliant. He is a courageous man, the whole crisis loans thing was not his policy, it was consultation! He is a great intellectual powerhouse and rising star in the party, and looking at his contribution to the Blue Labour debate, he’s made some very good ideas such as the Jobs Guarantee, National Salary Insurance, free universal childcare etc. Also, Miliband wants him back and most sane people in the party want him back.
    - Brumanuensis
      
      I’m not as anti-Progress as you think PurpleBooker. I’m ‘modernising centre-left’, to use Jon Cruddas’ words and I’m quite prepared to support individual Purple Book initiatives on childcare and local government, for instance. I’ve voted for Luke Akehurst in NEC elections and plan to vote for him and Ellie Reeves this time round.
      
      I think you’re slightly caricaturing Jess Asato’s views. A Progress friend of mine remarked to me once that she was considered relatively left-wing within the organisation – at least compared to Richard Angell (who I’ve met and actually quite like).
      
      I’m sure Georgia Gould is a nice person, but she is in her mid-twenties and has done nothing, so far as I am aware, outside of politics. We don’t need more Oxbridge graduates with no experience outside of think tanks and political activism. I’m fairly sure most of Ed’s weaknesses stem from the fact he hasn’t had a job outside of those roles – bar the stint at Harvard.
      
      You and I are never going to see eye-to-eye on Jimmy P. I have a relative who’s been on DLA and ESA, as well as Incapacity. The DWP did little but make their life difficult and all in a fairly unpleasant manner. Purnell’s general unctuousness doesn’t help either.
      - ThePurpleBooker
        
        I’m “modernising centre-left” that is not to degrade James Purnell. Jon Cruddas is a supporter of James Purnell, they have been working closely on Blue Labour and their ideas on remodernising the centre-left. I’m glad you support some Purple Book ideas, shame you can’t support most of them.
        I’m not caricaturing Asato’s views = she is a Blairite, simple as. Progress is on the right of the party, so even if she is on the left of Progress, is does not stop her from becoming a Blairite anyway. A friend of mine who is also on the Labour right, has told me she is a Blairite. I’m a member of both Progress but on Compass (arguably I’m on the very right of people in Compass) but I really like their ideas on the Big Six and their campaigns which is where Labour should be heading and they have developed interesting ideas.
        On Georgia Gould, she has done stuff outside politics. She has worked in IT and for a charity as far as I’m aware and she has only been a councillor for two years. Her good record in Erith and Thamesmead (the fact she came close third to a strong local activist and a former minister) shows she is doing something right. Also, she is a brilliant local councillor and by 2015, she’d be roughly 29. That is the perfect age to enter Parliament, so what is your objection.
        Purnell needs to return and I know he will return. He is a courageous man and a man of great value. We do need to make sure welfare is efficient, all he was trying to do to be fair. Look up what he has written on welfare and look at his Newsnight video. We need to move away from this academic view about hand outs and cash transfers, and start thinking deeply about welfare.
      - AlanGiles
        
        The charity Ms Gould worked for was – Blair’s Faith Foundation – proving it’s not what you know but WHO you know!
      - http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Homfray/510980099 Mike Homfray
        
        Purnell was and remains a Tory, as his liaison with Freud demonstrated. We are well rid of him. His views on welfare are indistinguishable from the Tories, and I dearly wish he would join them, along with the rest of Progress.
      - Brumanuensis
        
        As Alan has pointed out, she has precious little real-life experience outside of politics. The fact you think 29 is the ‘perfect age to enter Parliament’ is tragic. I have no objection to electing young people to Parliament, but I’d prefer they’d demonstrated exceptional ability, rather than just being middling. She is a classic exemplar of the colonisation of politics by upper-middle class types who’ve been to Oxbridge. I’m very comfortably-off, PurpleBooker and I’m getting sick to death of seeing people like me being elected to Parliament and no-one else. We need more people like Afzal Khan and fewer people like Lucy Powell, making up our candidate lists.
        
        Cruddas and Purnell have collaborated on communitarian ideas on politics, but I don’t find it very inspiring. If we wanted to talk about ‘welfare’ in a deeper sense, then fine, talk about ‘eudaimonia’ and Richard Kraut’s ideas on flourishing, but don’t forget that politics with no money is just wishing. Forgive me if I don’t fall over to praise the ‘courage’ of a man who gave contracts to ATOS and A4E, whilst using David Freud as an advisor. He laid the ground for the current government’s barbarities on DLA and ESA.
        
        I also think you would win more converts if you didn’t call Alan things like ‘some stupid Trot’.
    - AlanGiles
      
      “Georgia Gould would have made a good MP in Erith and Thamesmead,”
      
      Oh yes at the age of 22, just down from university, and with no life experience, daughter of rich parents who bought her a £500,000 flat overlooking Regents Park to console her for not gaining the nomination – she would have had so much in common with the people who live in tower blocks and in poverty in Erith & Thamesmead, having to stretch the housekeeping money each week. A complete tragedy they were denied somebody so wonderful. Of course, getting on the shortlist had absolutely nothing to do with her being the daughter of Philip Gould – perish the thought
      - ThePurpleBooker
        
        There is nothing wrong with having more young people in politics, I mean that is just utter bollocks. She came third of out all the people on the shortlist and some of them were very local candidates. I know she got on well with other candidates, who say she is really nice. By the way, what is your problem with rich people. Just because her parents have money, it does not mean she doesn’t have Labour values and she cannot represent deprived areas in South London. Have you heard of Harriet Harman?
      - AlanGiles
        
        She was 22 She had only had one job – working part time for Blair’s faith foundation. What the hell is a 22 year old from a well-off family supposed to know about poverty, other than what she might have read in textbooks.
        
        A 22 year old born and bought up in the area possibly – who knows the areas problems at first hand - a spoilt brat, no.
      - ThePurpleBooker
        
        I mean all you do is try and spin up class war. The people of Erith and Thamesmead liked her, that is why she came third. What did Tony Benn know about poverty by the way? Or Caroline Lucas? Or George Galloway?
        Fact is all you care about is class war, not he the people want and how we can get a diverse range of people in Parliament from all different backgrounds. You are clearly some stupid Trot who jumps on whatever bandwagon which is drifting to the far-left.
      - http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Homfray/510980099 Mike Homfray
        
        From all different backgrounds? Well, lets put a ban on all London based SPADS and anyone with any connection with Progress, who are a cancer within the party in any case. That would be a good start.
      - AlanGiles
        
        The Book seems to think that anyone who might be regarded as traditional Labour is a “trot”.
        
        This seems to be her or his crtiteria for being a Labour MP:
        
        “Brian Tomlinson is a new, intelligent and young lawyer from a very working class family, born and bred in Penarth and went to a local comprehensive school but is now an Oxbridge-educated lawyer working in the City, making alot of money.”
        
        “Making a lot of money” no doubt being the most important point, so they won’t get any nasty left-wing ideas.
      - AlanGiles
        
        Booker: You once claimed to be a journalist If that is the caser do all your messages have to have your trademark “I mean” peppered throughout?.
        
        “I mean” your’e always doing it.
        
        Ms Gould had no life experience. So she came third, so what.
        
        You also regard me as “stupid” because I think some Labour MPs should have some knowledge of the reakl world and have done real jobs in rfeal trades and industries. If we had it your way itr would be stuffed with the likes of Purnell with his ;private education in France and Ms Gould who was just trading on her family connections. You could say the same about Will Straw son of Jack. You just want a little elite…. I MEAN!!!! .
        
        I get fed up with your “stupid Trot” jibes which is not true, and which just proves you are as thick as pig sh!t and twice as nasty
      - AlanGiles
        
        ” I mean that is just utter bollocks”
        
        “I mean all you do is try and spin up class war”
        
        “ I mean she was thrown out as the MP ”
        
        And that is just from this one thread at random, you do it on all of those you appear on. Well, I MEAN!!!
      - ThePurpleBooker
        
        She probably knew she wasn’t going to get the candidacy because of her age. There are 18-year-olds who go for selections who know they stand little chance of being selected. You are a fool!
      - StoptheMilitants
        
        You fucking Trot.
      - AlanGiles
        
        I take it that was a contribution from Georgia Gould herself?
      - treborc1
        
        New Lie Labour then
      - Brumanuensis
        
        Tut-tut, Alan. Such cynicism has no place here.
      - AlanGiles
        
        I was put in my place though – did you see the deeply intellectual response from “Stop The Militants” a few messages above
      - Daniel Speight
        
        Did we ever get to the bottom of who opened the box of votes in Labour HQ? Weren’t they going to use lie detectors or DNA or such? Was Ms. Gould getting the blame for that?
  - ThePurpleBooker
    
    Also, directly to Brumanuensis. If Birmingham votes “yes” on May 3rd and Lima Byrne becomes the candidate (which seems very likely), will you back Majid Mahmood to be the PPC for Birmingham Hodge Hill (he seems like the ideal candidate)!
    - Brumanuensis
      
      I’ll have to split my answer into two parts here:
      
      First, my impression is that Sion Simon is just about on top. He’s been campaigning since stepping down in 2010 and he has a good local organisation as – of all people – Dan Hodges has pointed out:
      
      http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danhodges/100150710/birmingham-is-shaping-up-to-be-another-mayoral-disaster-for-labour/
      
      Now if Byrne wins, I think Mahmood will definitely be a runner for the selection (I’m not in Hodge Hill, so my knowledge is a little limited). I’m a bit put out by the fact that Mahmood was only elected as a councillor last year. I’d like him to show a bit more longevity before moving on and it would only exacerbate the endemic lack of respect towards local politics in British political life.
      
      However, he does seem to be anti-mayor, which wins him brownie points.
      - ThePurpleBooker
        
        One thing to tell you Brumanuensis, don’t listen to Dan Hodges. I mean the majority of Blairites don’t give him the light of day. I read half of blogs, and it normally is just purely vindictive towards Ed Miliband for policies he should be supporting. If he wants Ed out, which he clearly does but says he doesn’t, then he should plot behind closed doors than being just an annoying twat!
        Well, I thought Byrne would win the candidacy seen as he has now got the support of Sir Albert Bore as his running mate and from what I’ve been told he is popular locally.
        From the limited knowledge I have of Birmingham politics, I thought that Majid Mahmood would be a great for that seat, seen as he sort of fits the criteria despite being “anti-mayor” but could Sion Simon stand for Hodge Hill, too?
        
        On the challenge of Birmingham Yardley, who is anti-mayor but wants the job if Birmingham votes “yes” and will have to step down if he becomes the Lib Dem candidate. Who do you think will be the candidate for that seat and who seems likely to be the candidate seen as that is a seat we need to win in if there is a by-election in 2012, and especially in 2015?
Brumanuensis

Let’s be honest: we all know Powell has it in the bag.

Now unlike most Party HQ favourites, Powell has excellent local connexions and seems a genuinely hard-working candidate. My only problems are not specific to her, but relate to her rather generic ‘Politicky’ background and career. At least she isn’t a PPE graduate though!

Now the others:

Patrick Vernon – seems like a fundamentally decent individual and has a fine CV. However, he’s a London councillor. Contesting a Manchester seat. No. Just No. Not OK.

Amesbury & Battle – so similar they almost blur together. Amesbury is an active trade unionist, so he gets it in my book.

NEWS ALERT — Commenter on website endorses Mike Amesbury for Manchester Central by-election — NEWS ALERT

I must say, having a choice of three councillors and a SPAD isn’t the sort of diversity we ought to aspire to in the Labour Party. We must broaden our base. Urgently.
Brumanuensis

We agree on Mr Hodges

Sir Albert is a local institution, but don’t mistake his support for local party support. I wouldn’t be astonished if Byrne won, but I think Simon is just about the favourite at the moment. He is, after all, the local candidate par excellence.

Sion Simon doesn’t want to go back into Parliament (as far as I know, admittedly, but I’m pretty certain). I can’t really comment much more on Mahmood as I’ve neither met nor have much knowledge of his views beyond his stance on the mayoral referendum.

Yardley is a bit beyond my ken. It’s quite far from where I am and I haven’t been out there to make enquiries, so I will have to draw a blank.

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