John 4 leader ?

There are mumblings by e-mail and facebook about a potential John4Leader Campaign. Hurrah you say, an annual event for Labour lefties and fun for all.

Ok, i'll be serious.

Here is a copy of the e-mail . Tactics, thoughts, opinions most welcome in the comments box.

John4Leader 2008


Please send this letter to all your contacts



Friends and comrades,



You may remember that I was in touch with you just over a year ago. At the time, I was writing to you on behalf of John McDonnell MP's campaign for the Labour leadership, a campaign in which I was very proud to have played a key role.



As you will know, we were denied the right to a democratic contest that would have allowed us to debate the future direction of our party because of a concerted and successful effort by Gordon Brown's allies to prevent John McDonnell from getting a place on the ballot paper.



As a result, Gordon Brown was able to become leader without putting forward himself for the consideration of party members and trade unionists. This gave him a free hand to continue with the deeply unpopular New Labour policies that had proved so disastrous for the party and had already caused the removal of his predecessor, Tony Blair.



I write to you today in a strictly personal capacity. I have not discussed this with John or his parliamentary office.



It is clear that Gordon Brown's leadership is swiftly drawing to a close. It is also clear from recent local elections, parliamentary byelections, opinion polls and the total disintegration of party membership that the Labour party faces ones of the gravest crises in its history. We face the nightmare prospect of a generation or more of Tory rule.



It has been reported that various New Labour figures are preparing to stand as soon as Brown is forced from office. All supported and voted for the policies that landed Labour in its current catastrophe – such as the Iraq war, privatisation, attacks on civil liberties and cuts to public sector pay.



In the coming leadership contest, we need a candidate to stand who will fight for policies supported by the labour movement and millions of our supporters across the country - such as fair pay for public sector workers, public ownership of our services, a progressive tax system, an emergency council housing programme and an independent foreign policy. We need someone who is not compromised by voting for the very policies that have alienated our supporters.



John McDonnell is the only candidate with a consistent record, who has opposed all of New Labour's unpopular policies, who has a coherent alternative policy vision, and who has widespread support right across the labour movement.



I am therefore asking you to pledge your support for the letter below. Over the coming weeks, I will be collecting the names of a huge number of party activists, supporters, councillors, NEC members, PPCs, trade unionists and community workers and campaigners. The letter will be published in a national newspaper. Please state which CLP and/or trade union you are a member of and any relevant position you hold. You will be included in a personal capacity unless you state otherwise.



Please distribute this letter far and wide and collect as many names as possible and send them to o.p.jones@gmail.com . It would be appreciated if you could get in touch as soon as possible.



Best wishes,



Owen Jones (personal capacity)

o.p.jones@gmail.com





As a range of Labour party members, supporters, councillors, NEC representatives, trade unionists, activists, community workers and campaigners, we are concerned that the Labour party currently faces a crisis from which it may not recover for a generation or more.



We believe that the current disastrous situation has been caused by the continuation of unpopular New Labour policies that have alienated millions of our supporters right across the country.



When Gordon Brown became leader of the Labour party, we were denied a democratic debate on the future direction of the party. We believe that, if a leadership contest is to take place, there must be a range of candidates representing all wings of the party. So far all the potential successors mentioned have supported the very policies that have landed the party in its current predicament – such as the Iraq war, privatisation of our public services, pay cuts for public sector workers, attacks on civil liberties, and failures to tackle a growing housing crisis and increasing inequality. We believe the current crisis is about policies, not personalities.



We desperately need a candidate to stand who will promote policies supported by millions of our supporters across the country – such as fair pay for public sector workers, public ownership of our services, a progressive tax system, an emergency council housing programme and an independent foreign policy. We need someone who is not compromised by voting for the very policies that have alienated our supporters.



John McDonnell is the only potential candidate with a consistent record, who has opposed all of New Labour's unpopular policies, who has a coherent alternative policy vision, and who has widespread support across the labour movement. We therefore urge John McDonnell to stand when there is a vacancy and for MPs to nominate him in order for party members and trade unionists to have a genuine debate and choice about the future of our party.