The polls for Labour’s deputy leadership election close in one hour.
Just time for me to thank just some of the many Labour members and Trade Unionists who worked so hard on my campaign…
Joan Ruddock, Mike Foster, Julie Morgan, Jim Sheridan and the Parliamentary team.
Simon Powell, Alun Hayes and the trade union team
Oona King, Pola Uddin, Rohema Mia, Dora, Tayo Situ and all in my BAME team
Peter John and all in my local government team
Tom Stoate, Jasmine and Helena in my campaign office
Scarlet, Janice, Deborah, Ben and James on stragegy
Don Brind and Joe on the press
Charlotte on the travel and diary.
Glenys Thornton and all in the House of Lords Team
My “celebrity endorsers” Helena Kennedy, Glenys Kinnock and Estelle Morris
Anita Gale, Laura Vincent, Megan and Charlotte on the money side.
All the regional organisers - including Ann Campbell in Cambridge, Candy Atherton in Cornwall, Jessica Watts in the South East, Gerard Woodhouse in Liverpool, Andrew Scott in the North East, Phil Townshend in Coventry
Gill Gray on the phones. Ali Mcgovern and Sharon Grant coming with me on visits……
Everyone has been brilliant. And good politics…….
And thanks too, to Johan Hari of the Independent and Polly Toynbee and Jackie Ashley of the Guardian and Rachel Sylvester of the Daily Telegraph who wrote pieces setting out more clearly than I have what I am trying to do….. and thanks to Paul Routledge whose endorsement made me feel very proud! Alan Watkins has tipped me to win….l he’s usually right!
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June 22nd, 2007
Just finished the final Labour Party husting in London. It was the 10th. We have also had hustings organised by the Black Socialist Society, Trade Unions, Amnesty and the women’s organisations. All were packed. There have been differences between us candidates in the debates. But a strong common spirit and sense of purpose. The Tories would never have been able to do this. They are afraid to debate policy because they don’t know what they stand for. Many who came to the hustings today were waiting to hear us all before casting their vote! Whoever wins on Saturday in Manchester, it’s clear that each one of the 6 of us has made a difference to the contest and the contest has made a difference to the Party. Labour is stronger because of this debate. Whichever of us wins the deputy leadership, we will rebuild the party, we will have a new and radical policy agenda, we will win back the trust of the British people and we will set out confidently to win a fourth term.
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June 16th, 2007
Packed hustings in Cardiff today. Once again people said to me afterwards what a good process it has been - good-natured, progressive debate. Good to have the chance to meet up with the newly elected/re-elected Members of the Welsh Assembly. Jane Davidson AM, having made real progress on education is taking on the brief within the assembly for sustainability and the environment. I’m sure that Jane will forge a path in helping families and local communities cut their carbon footprint. And I’m sure that we’ll be able to learn from how she takes this important issue forward. Go Jane!
Great to see Neil and Glenys Kinnock there. My mother’s main reason for wanting me to write my memoirs - in due course - is because she wants someone to put on record how it was Neil who fought to pull us out of opposition and put us on the path to victory in 1997. She’s right of course……
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June 9th, 2007
On the train on the way to Oxford to visit the BMW factory, meet the TGWU members and the management. BMW do equal pay audits. We should have a legal requirement for all private (as well as public) sector employers to do equal pay audits. Equal pay is important for fairness between men and women, to tackle child poverty and to tackle the unequal division of labour in the home. Odd, isn’t it, that we have targets for just about everything we care about - from carbon emissions, hospital waiting lists to primary schooling in Africa - but not on equal pay! We should set 2020 as the target to end unequal pay. 45 years after the Equal Pay Act, that doesn’t seem to much to ask!
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June 8th, 2007
Ballot papers are going out today. It has been a very constructive campaign so far. Many party members have told me that they feel that there are a number of candidates they would be happy voting for. It is very different from the Benn/Healey election, where there were big ideological divisions. However there is one candidate who the voters trust more than others, who voters beleive is more in touch with ordinary families than the others and who is more likely to make people vote Labour - and that is me! See the latest You Gov poll……
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June 6th, 2007
Newcastle is one of the greatest cities in Great Britain. We are just back from spending last night and today there - at the Trade Union husting for Deputy Leader. A new report is set to show that this great city has an important future in manufacturing - as well as a great past. To recognise its importance and because Newcastle people are so welcoming, I pledged at the hustings that we should take Labour’s annual national conference to the great cities of Great Britain. And that certainly means Newcastle!
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June 3rd, 2007
The Tories have said they are the heirs to Tony Blair and that the deputy leadership contest shows a lurch to the left. We will decide how we take the country forward by listening to the people of Britain and responding on the basis of Labour’s values - not in response to the latest political tactics from the Tories. We would be mad to let the Tories shape our agenda. And the centre ground is not a fixed place. Thatcher moved it to the right and we have moved it to the left. I think we should be radical and at the same time realistic. And radical realism will help us take Britain forward to face the new challenges that face our country. Most people are not interested in political labels. they want a strong economy and a fair and peaceful society with good public services. That is not clinging to the centre ground, nor a lurch to the left - it’s just progress to the future.
PS I am trying to improve my blog spelling in preparaton for becoming deputy leader!
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May 31st, 2007
I was glad to have the chance to spell out on Newsnight
- that we have to acknowledge that we got it wrong on Iraq because there were no weapons of mass destruction
- we must move on from the good work we have done on tackling poverty, to tackling inequality - the gap between rich and poor
- that we must turn over a new leaf on how we govern - no briefings, no spin, respect for parliament
The deputy leadership campaign has flushed out for debate some important issues for the future. Party democracy, housing and insecurity at work are firmly on the agenda thanks in no small part to Jon Cruddas. And I’ve made sure families, inquality and women’s representation are at the centre of debate. Three more weeks to go!
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May 30th, 2007
“How would you re-unite the Labour Party after Iraq?” That was one of the many searching questions from Party members in Sheffield to us 6 deputy leadership candidates. Here’s what I answered
- I would not have voted for the invasion of Iraq if I had know there were no weapons of mass destruction. We were wrong on that - there were no WMD’s. We have to admit that.
- after the troops return we should have an enquiry which looks not just at the decision to go in but also the planning for the immediate post-invasion period
- we should encourage a debate in Britain about our relationship with the US. I regard them as important allies - but we must always do what is in our interests and is in the interest of peace and security in the world.
- we should never forget the tragic loss of life in Iraq - our service men and women and Iraqi civilians. But nor should we forget the lives saved by UK armed intervention in Sierra Leone, Kosovo and lives saved through our Aid programme for the developing world.
It was great to meet up with the party members in Sheffield including many councillors. It was a particular pleasure to see Sheffield MP Angela Smith and once again to see my friend and former MP colleague Helen Jackson.
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May 27th, 2007
It was a privilege today to meet in Bristol , Stephanie, the 2 Anne’s and their fellow home care assistants. These members of the Transport and General Workers Union have fought, with Labour support, a campaign to prevent the Lib/Dem Bristol City Council from contracting their work out to an agency. The Bristol Home Carers told me how they go into the homes of the elderly, wash them, change catheters, and do their shopping. The old people they care for want to see the same person each time - not a stranger. And contracting out nearly always means lower pay and conditions for care workers - usually women. The Bristol Home Care workers wanted to protect their clients and with the support of the public campaigned against the Lib/Dems in the May elections. The Labour Group leader saw her vote increase and has now become council leader - committed to support and value the home care service. Good luck to Council Leader Helen Holland, to Lydia and the Bristol Home Care workers. We must learn lessons from the success of Labour and the Unions, campaigning together with the support of the public. And we must recognise that the hidden work of home carers is priceless public service. I have invited them to tea in the House of Commons in July, together with Bristol’s Labour MPs, Roger, Kerry and Dawn.
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May 26th, 2007
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