DELUSIONAL MEACHER DISSES McDONNELL'S CHANCES

grimupnorth Mon Mar 05, 2007 at 07:50:16 AM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

Today's Indy has questions  to Michael Meacher. Glad to report he gets grilled from a goodly band of John McDonnell supporters. However  prepare to be incensed by  the following denial  of John's  chances. I  hope supporters out there will e-mail Meacher  in yet more droves.



In answer to a question  on his "spoiler" campaign,  Meacher  says:" There is no evidence whatever that a majority of people on the Labour Party left and the affiliated trade union movement support John McDonnell for leader."
Is he living  in a parallel  universe   or what!

The  good news is  he says he will stand down if John gets more nominations. At least  we have  it  in black and white.

e-mail meacherm@parliament.uk  
PS:My  letter to the Indy is already being written


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DELUSIONAL MEACHER DISSES McDONNELL'S CHANCES | 4 comments (4 topical)

Re: DELUSIONAL MEACHER DISSES McDONNELL'S CHANCES (#1)

by JR on Mon Mar 05, 2007 at 12:50:38 PM GMT

Given that the YouGov poll today put both Meacher and McDonnell on 6% each, perhaps Meacher has a point.


Re: DELUSIONAL MEACHER DISSES McDONNELL'S CHANCES (#2)

by grimupnorth on Mon Mar 05, 2007 at 01:33:27 PM GMT

Well, it depends  how you read it. Granted, only 10 per cent  of trade unionists say they would vote for John McD  but  only  13 per cent would  vote for Meacher. When it comes to Party members, only  3 per cent have first preference for Meacher  as  opposed to eight percent  for McDonnell.So overall  on this  poll, John gets   18 per cent and Meacher 16
My point to Meacher in today's INDY was   not  about the LP in general   but the Labour LEFT, which is their target audience. When a similar poll   was conducted at TUC conference, obviously to the left of this sample,  59 percent of delegates said they would vote for John over Gordon. If you were  to ask members in my CLP, which is pretty left-wing  it would be  50:50 brown/McDonnell.
 I accept this poll is hardly a ringing endorsement for either but one thing is clear - 73 percent want a contest and twoleft candiates can't stand .
The overwhelming hurdle John always faced from the start was getting on the ballot paper. Once a proper leadership battle  commenced, I'm sure the recognition factor ans media coverage would boost his vote tremendoudsly. In 1992, Bryan Gould got only about 11 percent and he was a Shadow cabinet member! As new labour heads further and further right, it's vital we have a contestand raise the issues. Meacher is  only hindering that process.
Within the left Party members  and trade unions, John   has vastly  more  support


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Re: DELUSIONAL MEACHER DISSES McDONNELL'S CHANCES (#3)

by jonesythered on Mon Mar 05, 2007 at 06:22:37 PM GMT

Meacher is much better known than McDonnell and has recently had a fanfare of publicity because of his more recent launch. He is FAR better known in the LP - which is probably why he only gets 3%. McDonnell's 8% is very respectable - as it's probably a high proportion of those members who actually know anything about him. The same in the trade unions - McDonnell's 10% is surely a high proportion of those who know who he is; Meacher's 13% is almost certainly a much lower proportion of those who know who he is. Of course, it's also within the margin of error.

In a contest between McDonnell and Brown, things would be very different - the media would have to give him coverage. Only then would be able to judge the true extent of his popularity.

Meacher would be massacred, on the other hand. His homes, conspiracy theories, pro-war background etc would all be printed with much delighted all over the papers. He'd come across as a hypocritical, embittered old hasbeen. No left activists in either the party or unions would campaign for him. McDonnell, ont he other hand, would have a principled, consistent record and an army of activists.

There is much to be happy about in this poll. It's actually disastrous for Meacher - after all, he's been around for three decades, has had a high-profile political career, been a minster under Wilson, Callaghan and Blair, was one of the leading leftwingers of the first half of the 80s - and all he gets is 3% of party members supporting him. McDonnell, on the other hand, was a completely unknown backbencher before July (and still now, to an extent).

McDonnellites have nothing to be worried about.


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Re: DELUSIONAL MEACHER DISSES McDONNELL'S CHANCES (#4)

by grimupnorth on Mon Mar 05, 2007 at 06:59:55 PM GMT

I don't think Meacher's "plug" in Indy today  ( and  picture!) will exactly  have helped his campaign! At least we have a declaration  of some sort he will stand down if he gets  less nominations......


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DELUSIONAL MEACHER DISSES McDONNELL'S CHANCES | 4 comments (4 topical)