Compass seeks deputy leadership influence

Hack McNally Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 10:38:20 AM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

A strange thing is happening. Compass is holding a ballot on who they should recommend members to vote for - for the deputy leadership of the Labour Party.



While this sounds reasonable, they are also recommending that members vote for Jon Cruddas.

...so they're recommending that members vote for Jon Cruddas to be the person they recommend the members to vote for.

Sounds like someone at Compass has got lost up their own ar***ole somewhere along the line.


tags: , , (all tags)

Display: Sort:
Compass seeks deputy leadership influence | 27 comments (27 topical)

Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#1)

by Glass House on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 11:10:19 AM GMT

"Sounds like someone at Compass has got lost up
their own ar***ole somewhere along the line."

A conclusion that some of us came to some time ago.


Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#4)

by grimupnorth on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 12:29:40 PM GMT

I think it's very disappointing. I attended the first Compass conference  a couple of years ago and was quite impressed. But It's  basically evolved as New labour-lite with some sops thrown in to please the soft left. Such a one is Cruddas.
I have no doubt he's a  nice  guy and infinitely  preferable to smarm merchants like james Purnell but , er,what exactly are his credentials? As far as I can tell he supported the Govt on most controversial issues which hardly makes him hero of the hour.The words opportunism and careerism  spring tomind but forgive me for being cynical. Who cares what Compass recommend? Most Labour voters have never heard of it .The deputy leadership is NOT the issue. Gordon's so-called "coronation" is and when will Partymembers wake up and realise they are being sold a pup.The entire cafuffle around the Deputy leadership draws attention away from the fact that supine MPs will pass the leadership on without a contest if we don't put pressure on them. Focus, comrades, focus. Cruddas/Benn/Harman.It doesn't actually matter that much.Soviet-style handovers of power do.If the Tories and Libs can have a contest then so  should we.


[ Parent ]

Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#5)

by Glass House on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 02:10:50 PM GMT

Actually, I was implying that Compass (or at least some in Compass) are naive left-wingers who haven't begin to grasp the lessons of New Labour.


[ Parent ]

Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#7)

by red tamarin on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 03:04:45 PM GMT

The problem (in my view) is that Compass is very effective at getting mentions in the press, but the amount they actually get done, at the end of the day, is pretty small.


[ Parent ]

Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#11)

by doctordunc on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 09:10:19 PM GMT

That seems an odd conclusion as most of Compass's shower are former New Labour architects who've missed out on a decent job at some point or other.  Neal Lawson was someone you'd be proud of Glass House.  Not sure what he's playing at these days, but his primary job used to be to bash the left.  There are some good people in Compass, but it either needs to completely change, or the good people should abandon it and join in with more inclusive and more labourite groupings such as the LRC.


[ Parent ]

Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#20)

by Glass House on Wed Jan 24, 2007 at 11:03:42 AM GMT

Trust me, 'pride' is the last emotion that Neal Lawson engenders in me.


[ Parent ]

Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#16)

by grimupnorth on Wed Jan 24, 2007 at 10:45:59 AM GMT

Right.In that case as usual we profoundly disagree.I don't think Compass is left enough.It is, to use Pete Willsman's well-know phrase,"wishy-washy." So is Cruddas.


[ Parent ]

Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#17)

by grimupnorth on Wed Jan 24, 2007 at 10:47:12 AM GMT

Right.In that case as usual we profoundly disagree.I don't think Compass is left enough.It is, to use Pete Willsman's well-know phrase,"wishy-washy." So is Cruddas.


[ Parent ]

Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#18)

by grimupnorth on Wed Jan 24, 2007 at 10:50:23 AM GMT

the above post   has   gone AWOL twice - should have been in response to Glass House.....sorry Dunc.BTW John McDonnell is in Hebden Bridge friday March 16 @ the Stubbing Wharf pub 7.30pm. Hope to see you there.........


[ Parent ]

Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#21)

by Glass House on Wed Jan 24, 2007 at 11:04:17 AM GMT

I kind of suspected we were coming at this from different directions grimupnorth :)


[ Parent ]

Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#23)

by grimupnorth on Wed Jan 24, 2007 at 12:10:36 PM GMT

yep, am with dunc on this one! But at least we agree Compass is a blind alley.Which is kind of a shame as it  promised to be a broader church than it's  turned out to be.Which is abother cosy little hang-out for career politicians  and media pundits.ie Guardianistas  


[ Parent ]

Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#24)

by grimupnorth on Wed Jan 24, 2007 at 12:10:36 PM GMT

yep, am with dunc on this one! But at least we agree Compass is a blind alley.Which is kind of a shame as it  promised to be a broader church than it's  turned out to be.Which is abother cosy little hang-out for career politicians  and media pundits.ie Guardianistas  


[ Parent ]

Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#6)

by steverace on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 02:35:29 PM GMT

I find it interesting that they're having a ballot on a list of candidates that is not yet final (there will be others who join the race, some may drop out), for an election that has not yet been declared.

Aside from this, Compass is not an affiliate of the Labour Party, and never has been. Its members do not have to be Labour members, and many aren't. If you read their website, many of the vocal members are vehemently opposed to this Labour Govt. So, this makes me wonder why we should care what Compass think? The problem however is that the media will spin this as a 'Labour Grassroots' ballot, when it is not.

Along with the fact they're basically telling their members to vote for Jon Cruddas (whilst claiming the ballot is to listen to the voice of its members), this act of vain pomposity stinks. Which, as has been commented on previously, is true to form for Compass.


Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#8)

by oratorhunt on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 05:19:43 PM GMT

If you have political disagreements with Compass -fair enough - but don't dress this up as some concern with grassroots democracy in the Labour Party.  To be a Compass member you have to be eligible for membership of the Labour party - so there is no scope for the result being distorted by supporters of other parties.  Compass with some influence in the Party, so it has every right to ballot its members on who they prefer for elected positions.  
People here seem to have a problem with the Management Committee making a recommendation to its membership.  Will they make the same objection to trade union leaderships?


[ Parent ]

Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#9)

by Hack McNally on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 06:14:15 PM GMT

Orator,

Compass is recommending a candidate to their membership in a ballot to ascertain who they should later recommend in a deputy leadership campaign.

Don't you see how this differs from the union approach, which will be to make a recommendation at the deputy leadership ballot itself - and probably not before. A union exec wouldn't hamstring itself by ballotting on what the exec recommendation should be.

Neal Lawson won't do something similar for the leadership campaign because there's a risk that Comapss members would prefer someone over Gordon Brown - Neal can't afford that because he's desperately storing up Browny Points so he can secure influence/a job under the new regime.

Compass could have been a great movement in our party but it has become the Neal Lawson career society - which is a bit sad. It doesn't represent Labour grassroots, it represents Neal.

Hack McNally
[ Parent ]

Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#19)

by grimupnorth on Wed Jan 24, 2007 at 10:51:46 AM GMT

exactly. Many Compass members would support a left leadership canidate but they don't want to upset Brown.Shame.


[ Parent ]

Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#22)

by oratorhunt on Wed Jan 24, 2007 at 11:22:17 AM GMT

hack ,

so you don't mind a union exec making a top-down recommendation to members, but you do object to a recommendation made according to a full consultative ballot.  Are you an old tankie or something?

Clearly you have some personal animosity towards Neal.  Thats up to you I guess, but I really don't see what's wrong with Compass asking its members who they would propose their organisation to declare for in the deputy contest.  That would in no way undermine the rights of individual party members to vote for a different candidate under OMOV.


[ Parent ]

Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#26)

by Hack McNally on Wed Jan 24, 2007 at 01:51:53 PM GMT

No animosity towards Neal. just disappointment and some irritation. He could have done a good thing with Compass but decided not to.

I really don't have a problem with an exec making a recommendation to a membership body. BUT - Compass is making a recommendation in a ballot to decide what their recommendation should be for another ballot. That's just nutso.

I also think it's majorly unfair to hold such a ballot before the campaign has been launched, because other candidates don't get a lookin. What about Jeremy Corbyn - why should he have to make up his mind according to the Compass timetable?

I also reckon it's OK for the other candidates to not want to take part in a hustings before all the candidates have declared or before the campaign has started.

It does seem like the on-off hustings was a bit of a mess with some agreeing to do it and then changing their minds - but no-one's done a deputy leadership election for a long time and the petulant response from Compass to this muddle wassn't very understanding. Or adult.

Compass is damaging itself with this charade and undermining its own influence.

All we need now are ballot irregularities and Compass will be stuffed - Neal's going to have to find some other nest where he can keep his ego cosy.

Hack McNally
[ Parent ]

Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#27)

by oratorhunt on Wed Jan 24, 2007 at 04:46:20 PM GMT

Leaving aside your continuing sniping at Neal, your criticisms seem to boil down to
1) the whole idea of consultating members on who their organisation should be recommending to the wider electorate
and 2) they have the temerity want to start a debate before Jeremy Corbyn has decided whether or not he wants to throw his (in any case utterly marginal) hat into the ring.  

 


[ Parent ]

Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#28)

by Hack McNally on Wed Jan 24, 2007 at 09:01:28 PM GMT

You're right - let's leave sniping aside.

  1. I thought they were consulting members on who they should recommend to their members. In any case, why does the exec need to recommend any candidate to the members if that's the information they are seeking from the members?

  2. Corbyn is just an example, any number of people could be considering their options. But yes, this is my criticism.

But Compass doesn't care, it's obviously a classic stitch up for their man Cruddas, who I happen to think suits them quite well - sort of soft-left but not so left wing he'd actually vote against the government. They need to get a head of steam behind him to PREVENT proper left wingers like Corbyn entering and queering his pitch.

Don't ask if Cruddas voted for the war. Ask how many times he voted for the war, 7? 8? more?

Hack McNally
[ Parent ]

Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#14)

by steverace on Wed Jan 24, 2007 at 09:44:19 AM GMT

Labour has many supporters who are not members. Presumably this is the same with the Tories, Lib Dems etc...

So, to say 'there is no scope for the result being distorted by supporters of other parties' is untrue. There is very large scope!


[ Parent ]

Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#25)

by oratorhunt on Wed Jan 24, 2007 at 12:33:37 PM GMT

yes, but to be a member of Compass you cannot be a member of any other party.  To my mind Lbaour supporting non-members are precisely the kind of people who need to be re-activated and engaged in discussions over the party's future direction.


[ Parent ]

Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#12)

by AJScobbie on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 09:42:30 PM GMT

I think the idea of the ballot is not welcome. I pay my Compass membership for debate and some interesting publications that stir further debate. Just as I subscribe to Progress and the Fabians. However what I have no interest in is being part of a faction. The whole purpose of a group like Compass is to act as an internal thinktank and stimulate debate and not to close it down with pre emptive ballots.

Dont get me wrong. I rather like Cruddas. I believe in local grassroots campaigning and ideas on party reform. I dont see how a Compass recommendation will help or hinder him. I will ultimately cast my vote based on the whole range of candidates once hustings begins and the debate commences.

Sadly this is going to be used as another stick to bash Compass with. And they may well deserve it in this case. Just lets have a read of their policy documents first hand and base discussion around that and nothing else eh?


[ Parent ]

Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#10)

by Hack McNally on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 06:16:42 PM GMT

I have an idea, why doesn't Compass ballot its members to decide what the exec recommendation should be for the ballot to decide what the exec recommendation should be for the ballot to decide what the exec recommendation should be for the ballot to decide who gets the Compass endorsement (in the final ballot)

Imaging how many media hits Neal can get out of that. He could be on Newsnight every week!

Hack McNally

Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#13)

by otware on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 11:58:13 PM GMT

I must say that this is disappointing for 2 reasons:
  1. They say it's a free vote, but encourage members to back Jon Cruddas. Smooth move.
  2. Not all of the candidates have declared yet.

And when you think about it, what is the purpose of nominating a candidate in this way? Surely candidates should sep forward to be nominated instead of being automatically selected. It is obvious that Cruddas will win the Compass vote, so why go through the charade of holding a mock-election when all that is required is a simple "Do you wish to nominate Jon Cruddas as candidate for Deputy Leader (Yes/No)".


Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#15)

by smiley on Wed Jan 24, 2007 at 10:16:13 AM GMT

"It is obvious that Cruddas will win the Compass vote"

Why do you say that?  Do you think people don't have minds of their own?


[ Parent ]

Re: Compass seeks deputy leadership influence (#29)

by ChrissyW on Tue Jan 30, 2007 at 01:37:09 PM GMT

I'm sure Hack et al will be pleased to hear that Compass have now opened their deputy leadership ballot by posting statements from all the candidates (except for Peter Hain, who apparently didn't submit one) on their website....

They've allowed two weeks for members and non-members to debate it, so we all have a fortnight to convince Compass that Jon Cruddas aint as great as they think.....

http://www.compassonline.org.uk/index.asp


Compass seeks deputy leadership influence | 27 comments (27 topical)