Hazel Blears survives for now

From @LabourList

Hazel Blears was backed to stand again as the Labour candidate for Salford at a meeting of the CLP last night after a vote of no confidence to deselect her was defeated.

The former Communities Secretary had been implicated in the expenses scandal and further angered members by resigning from cabinet on the eve of the European elections, which she later said she regreted.

But in a new letter on LabourList today, party activists are signing a letter calling on Blears to voluntarily stand down to avoid defeat at the next general election.