Why should John McDonnell step aside for Diane Abbott? I hope he doesn’t yet the pressure is there for him to do so. Diane Abbott is great in Parliament, she speaks out and has been vocal in her opposition to the NL machine but that opposition has not been translated into activism. Yes, she has been there defending a woman’s right to choose (but so has John McDonnell). When there’s a campaign, strike and a struggle to be had then you can rely on John McDonnell to be there, to be vocal and to fight your corner. He was one of the only MPs to be there speaking and campaigning against the Welfare Reform Acts, Vestas, Visteon, Cleaners’ campaign, Third Runway. You name it John has been there.
He has condemned unequivocally the massive cuts against the public sector. He has been at the forefront at setting up alternatives to the NL agenda (see LEAP, for example). I still support John McDonnell and hope that he doesn’t stand aside because he is true to his principled socialist convictions.
NB: LRC is arguing that all candidates should be allowed on the ballot paper. Agree with that proposal.
Oh, and congrats to my MP, Jim Dowd, for doing the decent thing and nominating John!
John McDonnell is no more responsible for Diane not getting on the ballot paper than any other candidate. David Miliband has racked up 70-odd nominations – enough to get two people on with some spare; and his brother 57 – nearly enough for two.
The problem is the threshold system and the veto given to MPs. If Diane can only muster 11, and no discernible grassroots support that isn’t John’s fault. Just as it isn’t Diane’s fault that John is on 16. For the mathematicians out there 16+11=27, 6 below 33 anyway.
Totally agree there Andrew it is the stupid threshold which is a way of stopping left candidates from getting on the ballot paper.