Okay - I think this article needs to be brought out of the shadows a little. There's a lot of insinuation here - talk of mystical 'players' and an apparently 'key' MP...  I know where a lot of readers minds will immediately turn because of previous articles suggesting the left is divided on this (and referring to a specific alternative candidate), so I have made a point of checking it out for myself, and I'm very pleased with what I've heard.  

It is no secret that there is a feeling amongst some in the Campaign Group that John should have come to the group first before making any declaration.  That's a perfectly reasonable position for people to take, but I would ask why agreeing the candidacy with activists is somehow less valid than with MPs - I would hardly refer to John's decisions as unilateral: they've involved more Labour members than any declaration I can recall from the past.

However, without betraying any confidences or giving too much organisational detail, I am quite confident that come the anouncement of parliamentary nominations there will be one (and only one) candidate from the left and that candidate will have sufficient nominations from MPs.  Obviously, I hope and believe that candidate will be John McDonnell and he clearly has the advantage of having begun his contest and having taken on the role as 'voice of the left' during the coming months of speculation into all this.  Clearly some may prefer other candidates (although I'm yet to hear much enthusiasm for John Denham beyond these pages).  But the left will not rip itself apart over this, and I am quite confident that comrades in the parliamentary party will keep the views and preferences of their supporters outside parliament very much in the forefront of their thinking.  If various 'players' are putting forward a different view I am intrigued to know who they are.  I at least now know who they aren't.  Other readers will no doubt have suspicions (feel free to mail me off-list, so to speak, if you want any names discounted!) - but basically, don't take this diary piece too seriously - nobody appears to be in any trouble...

Among the Campaign Group MPs, Ann Cryer has already said (to the local paper) that at the moment she's likely to vote for Gordon Brown as next leader.

The last thing John can be accused of is going off on his own as an individual and deciding to run for the leadership! Clearly we need a single left challenger to Brown (whether or not the Blairites come out against him). The views of MPs are clearly very important, but I hope that left MPs will take note of the views of rank and file Party members and trade unionists, amongst whom John has impressive and growing support.

Yes, I must say that was the element in the original post that made me particularly want to comment here.  It's presented as reported speech, but I don't think such insinuation is a particularly attractive form of political "debate".

There has been a lot of criticism about this piece, particularly about how it was written.

I can't name the people who speak to me if they ask me not to do so. It would not be right and no-one would ever speak to me again.

I also think I reported this pretty even handedly, reporting the criticism of John and a leading potential contender.

I can't do better than this - but I'm happy for John to come on Labourhome as often as he likes to put across his vision for the party. Happy too to do an interview if he wants to submit to questioning.

What more can I do?

I don't know about unilateralist but John McDonnell's early declaration has definitely made him a possible candidate. The problem though is why anyone outside the left would vote for him- I've read a lot of his stuff on the Guardian and on his website and there is nothing to appeal to anyone who is not on the left. Denham say has an appeal to Blairites adn the left and couldn't be painted as some kind of Bennite. I'm not saying that McD is but he could be painted that way. I am sure he has consulted with a large number of activists- but I am afraid that it does matter much more who the MPs support than who the activists do- just look at the Tories and their candidacy of Iain Duncan Smith who was popular with the activists but unpopular with the MPs and consequently could not control the Parliamentary party. http://gracchii.blogspot.com/