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What's happened to all the candidates?

otware Fri Nov 03, 2006 at 07:38:13 PM GMT Facebook

Not that long ago there was a large list of leadership candidates.

Why is it that suddenly all of the leadership candidates other than Gordon Brown and John McDonnell seem to have pulled out?

Is John Reid giving up on his leadership ambitions (or just setting them aside for the present...) so that he can play a part in a Brown government?

It seems clear that Alan Johnson's bid has been ruined by the faith school quotas fiasco, but isn't it a bit odd that all the big heavyweight candidates have pulled out at about the same time...Is it just a coincidence or are they trying to get on Gordon Brown's good side for possible promotion if and when he becomes leader?

And what of John McDonnell? His campaign has received so little publicity. The other day his name was briefly mentioned by Nick Robinson on the news, but the media insists that Brown will now be 'unchallenged'. Why are the media deliberately ignoring John McDonnell?

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tags: Labour leadership, gordon brown (all tags)

What's happened to all the candidates? | 4 comments (4 topical)

Re: What's happened to all the candidates? (#1)

by doctordunc on Sat Nov 04, 2006 at 10:55:08 AM GMT

The media have been attempting to ignore McDonnell from the start - because he's saying something different and it messes up the story (which is all personalities, Blair/Brown, etc.) He is starting to force his way into the news and the columns now though, as it seems increasingly certain that he will be nominated (and after that even the most stubbornly establishment hack won't be able to ignore him!)

As for the others? We don't know anyone's pulled out, do we? But there is a change in the mood music, and I have to confess - in the absence of any more failed coups and the like - I'm not convinced there will be a 'Blairite' candidate. I think it'll be Brown v. McDonnell. John Reid still seems the most likely 'spanner', but I think his ambiguous speech was mostly mischief-making anyway.