John4Leader: CALLING ALL TRADE UNIONISTS, SOCIALISTS, ACTIVISTS...

jonesythered Fri Apr 06, 2007 at 10:52:33 AM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

The John4Leader campaign has sent out a message urging all supporters to join the Labour party in order to get a vote in the forthcoming leadership election.

Please pass on this message as far as possible.

Huge numbers have already joined or rejoined the party - but time is fast running out to join if you want to have a vote!




URGENT!!!
CALLING ALL TRADE UNIONISTS, SOCIALISTS, ACTIVISTS...

4 weeks left before Blair resigns?

Speculation is rife that Tony Blair will stand down from the Labour leadership shortly after the Scottish/Welsh/local elections to be held on May 3rd.

You can vote in the election as to who replaces him as Prime Minister if you join the Labour Party now. Everyone joining between now and when Tony Blair stands down will get a vote.

Myth 1: Only Labour MPs get to vote on who the next leader is.
Wrong. Every party member and sub-paying trade unionist will also get a vote.

Myth 2: Don't you need to have been a member of the Labour Party for six months before they'll give you a vote?
No. Every person who joins up before Blair stands down will get a vote.

Myth 3: I'm a member of an affiliated trade union. I'll get a vote anyway, so I don't need to join the party.
Partly true. Members of affiliated trade unions will get a vote - but your vote counts for 20 times more if you also join the Labour Party.

Myth 4: It costs an arm and a leg and you have to join for a whole year.
Not true. You can join from as little as £1 a month and cancel your subscription whenever you wish.

John McDonnell is a left Labour MP who is standing against Gordon Brown for the leadership of the Labour Party. He stands for trade union policies; policies backed by Labour Party conference and supported by the vast majority of people in this country. Policies like the immediate restoration of the link between pensions and earnings, raising the minimum wage to at least £7, renationalising the railways and abolishing tuition fees. John is the only candidate likely to get on the ballot paper who supports these policies. If you support them too, join the Labour Party now to vote for John.

There are a number of ways you can join the Labour Party.

  1. Ring 08705 900 200

  2. Request a membership form by ringing 020 7529 8296 or e-mailing info@john4leader.org.uk

  3. Download the printable membership form at  http://www.john4leader.org.uk/gettinginvolved/joinlabour.pdf and send to The Labour Party, FREEPOST, NAT 8909, Nottingham, NG2 1BR

  4. Join online at http://www.labour.org.uk/joinus

If you need more reasons to join, find out what shop stewards, general secretaries, MPs, Labour Party members and community activists are saying at http://www.john4leader.org.uk /endorsements.html

Please forward this to your friends and contacts, with a personal note asking them to join.


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John4Leader: CALLING ALL TRADE UNIONISTS, SOCIALISTS, ACTIVISTS... | 51 comments (51 topical)

Re: John4Leader: URGENT!!! CALLING (#1)

by Glass House on Fri Apr 06, 2007 at 11:22:44 AM GMT

"You can join from as little as £1 a month and cancel your subscription whenever you wish."

Frankly, I don't want the sort of people who would join up, vote and then leave because their candidate doesn't win. I don't want them to have a say in who runs our party.

All the self-indulgents who whinged and left should be ashamed of themselves if they think they should have a say.


Re: John4Leader: URGENT!!! CALLING (#4)

by jonesythered on Fri Apr 06, 2007 at 11:52:06 AM GMT

The John4Leader campaign has successfully recruited huge numbers of people to our party, reversing the downward trend in membership that has taken place over the past ten years.

See Luke Akehurst's blog for one example of this at a local level here: lukeakehurst.blogspot.com

As for your comment about the 200,000 members who have left our party (i.e. half the membership) being "self-indulgents who whinged and left" - well, thank god you're not in charge of recruitment, eh? Do you not think we should try to understand why half our membership has left over policies such as Iraq, tuition fees, privatisation, attacks on civil liberties, etc - and why our active membership has all but collapsed? Or would you prefer to shrug your shoulders and bid them good riddance?

Frankly I just hope that you're not as unpleasant in real life as you are in this forum...


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT!!! CALLING (#11)

by grimupnorth on Fri Apr 06, 2007 at 04:26:27 PM GMT

Owen's made these points but why the hell wouldn't people have left Labour  due to policy mistakes we've endured for over four years now.


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#2)

by JR on Fri Apr 06, 2007 at 11:23:45 AM GMT

and supported by the vast majority of people in this country

Haha! What a joke. If McDonnell's policies were really so popular, then why isn't someone like him in power already? I can sense a bit of desperation here, no?

He'll be lucky to get the 45 nominations let alone win the Labour leadership election.


Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#3)

by jonesythered on Fri Apr 06, 2007 at 11:51:36 AM GMT

Just the sort of informed, nuanced comment I'd expect from JR.

According to repeated opinion polls:

  • A majority oppose privatisation of public services (according to a poll in June 2006, only 17% supported privatisation of public services);

  • A majority support renationalisation of the railways (polls usually show about 75%);

  • A majority oppose top-up fees;

  • A majority oppose renewal of Trident based on cost;

  • A majority oppose the war in Iraq;

  • A majority support an independent foreign policy;

  • A majority of Labour supporters (98%) support increased workers' rights.

There are others I can dig out if you like!


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#5)

by JamesM on Fri Apr 06, 2007 at 12:38:56 PM GMT

Based on these findings you must be extremely confident of a McDonnell victory.

So that it's on the record, would you like to give us your prediction for the leadership election?


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#6)

by jonesythered on Fri Apr 06, 2007 at 01:14:46 PM GMT

There is clearly a massive appetite out there for the policies that the John4Leader campaign is promoting.

However I'm not a fortune teller and I'm not going to start making guesses about the exact outcome of the coming leadership election. All I would say is that I believe critics of the campaign will be very surprised at the level of support John McDonnell would get in the actual ballot.


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#8)

by JR on Fri Apr 06, 2007 at 01:46:50 PM GMT

Massive appetite? Please. You should go and work for Ahmadinejad - you would do well in his propaganda department. Even when the whole world tells you that you're wrong, you'll still argue otherwise.

I'm not a fortune teller either, but I'd be willing to stake my house, life savings and everything else on one outcome: McDonnell won't win. He won't even come close, or even anywhere near to close.

I would be astonished if he gets above 20% of the members or MP votes (obviously he'll do better with the out-of-touch unions). That's if he gets nominated of course.


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#12)

by grimupnorth on Fri Apr 06, 2007 at 04:27:51 PM GMT

The "out of touch unions." You mean ,presumably,those at the sharp end of pay cutsand badpolicy decisions.


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#17)

by JR on Sat Apr 07, 2007 at 12:02:03 AM GMT

No, I mean those who probably can't be bothered joining Labour and indeed probably hate Labour and will vote for the candidate who will do the most damage to the party.


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#24)

by grimupnorth on Sat Apr 07, 2007 at 11:26:36 AM GMT

Utter rubbish,JR. As usual


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#29)

by JR on Sun Apr 08, 2007 at 01:33:12 AM GMT

Yawn.


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#26)

by otware on Sat Apr 07, 2007 at 06:17:15 PM GMT

As far as I can see, that candidate is Brown.


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#28)

by JR on Sun Apr 08, 2007 at 01:32:42 AM GMT

Yes, as opposed to McDonnell who's bound to win us many general elections. He's completely in touch with modern Britain. I can see Worcester Woman being captivated by him.


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#7)

by JR on Fri Apr 06, 2007 at 01:41:40 PM GMT

Just the sort of informed, nuanced comment I'd expect from JR

As opposed to your obscessive ramblings about John McDonnell being the greatest thing since sliced bread?

You really are deluded if you think McDonnell stands even a remote chance. He's a loser and if he stands he's going to make the left look even more isolated and embarrassed than it does now.

Can't wait until McDonnell loses comprehensively and then perhaps LabourHome can stop being the unofficial campaign headquarters of the We Love John McDonnell loonies.


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#9)

by Mozzer1989 on Fri Apr 06, 2007 at 01:54:05 PM GMT

They aren't really obsessive. He's a Labour candidate for the leadership election which happens to be pretty important for the LP. Why shouldn't he get talked about?
P*ssed off because your favoured candidate isn't standing and the actual favourite seems destined  to lose the next election?

Oh dear, no room for reasoned debate, JR has had to result to insults =)


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#10)

by JR on Fri Apr 06, 2007 at 02:04:41 PM GMT

What insults? Everything said there was true.

I am annoyed about the contest, if you must know, because there are no decent candidates standing and I'm going to be forced to vote Brown.

But if Brown gets beat at the next general election, then you get bet if McDonnell was in charge, we'd be lucky to win one single seat!


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#15)

by grimupnorth on Fri Apr 06, 2007 at 04:31:15 PM GMT

McDonnell's  policy platform  would win one seat?JR you are like a petulant child. Just go away and grow up. Even for you,that is being absurd.


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#18)

by JR on Sat Apr 07, 2007 at 12:04:02 AM GMT

Ah...here's where the real insults start flying! Knew I could rely on grim to start dishing out the nasties.

What's the matter? Can't face the truth? Feeling a bit under pressure because McDonnell probably won't even get nominated? Shame.


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#27)

by otware on Sat Apr 07, 2007 at 06:22:33 PM GMT

Please get over yourself. It is quite obvious from the poll data that has already been cited here that there is public support for McDonnell's policies. You're just throwing a tantrum because you won't acknowledge that your beloved New Labour is on its last legs. Believe me, the shit will hit the fan at the elections.


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#30)

by JR on Sun Apr 08, 2007 at 01:38:55 AM GMT

I'm sure New Labour will suffer when Blair goes. But if Brown does lose the next general election - it will be to someone who is even more right-wing - David Cameron. So I hardly think you should be taking pleasure out of that.

If you think New Labour is going down, then just wait to see what happens to the lefties. When both McDonnell and Cruddas lose their election bids, what exactly does the left have to look forward to? There'll be nothing left for them to hope for - they'll have no future.

If Cameron does win and becomes PM, you can bet everyone will criticise Brown for being too much of a tax and spend socialist and the next leader will move us even further to the right (probably Miliband). New Labour will continue, but the left will be killed off (if not already).


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#33)

by doctordunc on Sun Apr 08, 2007 at 10:53:44 AM GMT

Who were you calling deluded!!


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#38)

by JR on Sun Apr 08, 2007 at 01:45:01 PM GMT

Where is that?


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#34)

by otware on Sun Apr 08, 2007 at 11:53:36 AM GMT

The left founded this party and they'll be around long after your lot have gone.


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#37)

by JR on Sun Apr 08, 2007 at 01:43:54 PM GMT

I'm going nowhere pal. It wouldn't surprise me if after McDonnell loses, some lefties will leave Labour since there's nothing left to hope for. So I think your argument is flawed.


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#35)

by jonesythered on Sun Apr 08, 2007 at 12:56:01 PM GMT

JR is incapable of debate. His embarrassingly ignorant posts lack any analysis and fail to indicate even a shred of evidence that he knows what he's talking about. His posts consist solely of bile. I suggest that everyone just ignores him.


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#36)

by JR on Sun Apr 08, 2007 at 01:42:36 PM GMT

Yes that's right! Let's all just stifle debate because you don't agree with what someone says! How very mature of you.


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#14)

by grimupnorth on Fri Apr 06, 2007 at 04:29:17 PM GMT

Nothing new there is there?


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#16)

by Wiseman on Fri Apr 06, 2007 at 04:39:45 PM GMT

JR we all must agree on one thing, we need a contest and I am afraid everything you have said leaves yourself with one aregument.  You must vote for McDonnell to have a contest or will you go for the booby prize and vote for Brown even though as a blairite you know that this is comitting all sorts of crimes.  I got an idea lets vote for Alan Milburn and pretend we don't know anything about the party or even better Charles 'Destruction' Clarke and pretend that the home office is improving.  Wake up and vote for McDonnell because you know you want to!!!


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#20)

by JR on Sat Apr 07, 2007 at 12:06:43 AM GMT

wiseman, I would love to see a proper contest. But I could not bring myself to vote for McDonnell. I'd feel like I'd committed a crime.


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#13)

by grimupnorth on Fri Apr 06, 2007 at 04:28:43 PM GMT

As  opposed to .......we hate anyrthing that's not New labour zealots?


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#19)

by JR on Sat Apr 07, 2007 at 12:05:12 AM GMT

Zealots! That's rich coming from the McDonnell propaganda gestapo! Does he force you to swear an oath of allegiance to him every sunrise?


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#21)

by grimupnorth on Sat Apr 07, 2007 at 12:35:20 AM GMT

you are seriously out of order JR. But what's new


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#22)

by doctordunc on Sat Apr 07, 2007 at 10:14:34 AM GMT


JR - you're not doing a very good job of convincing me that you don't think John McDonnell has a chance.  Why would you resort to such (actually very offensive) abuse if it was pointless (unless you're just a very unpleasant human being)?

There are likely to be two candidates in this election - it is not surprising that a significant minority of people on this website will be sorting one of those candidates.  Rather than abuse those people (and that candidate) - why not engage in a debate about policy; or better yet ask why there doesn't seem to be the least enthusiasm for Brown's candidacy?


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#23)

by jkitleft on Sat Apr 07, 2007 at 11:03:50 AM GMT

as you have noticed on previous threads i encourage debate JR, can you tell us which candidate you would like to win, and why you would like him to win


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#32)

by JR on Sun Apr 08, 2007 at 01:44:46 AM GMT

Since no other candidate than McDonnell has actually outlined what their policies would be, I can't say.

I'd like to see Miliband stand, but I don't know whether I'd vote for him. I still don't know what Brown stands for, so I'll have to wait and see.


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#25)

by doctordunc on Sat Apr 07, 2007 at 11:59:16 AM GMT

That should have been 'supporting' rather than 'sorting'.  Obviously.


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#31)

by JR on Sun Apr 08, 2007 at 01:42:32 AM GMT

My comments are made in response to the disproportionate amount of deluded support McDonnell gets on this forum. I think his fans will get a big shock when the election results come through because he really doesn't stand a chance.

I've engaged in countless debates about policy as you well know.

The reason why there is no enthusiasm for Brown is because nobody likes him (including me).


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#39)

by jkitleft on Sun Apr 08, 2007 at 07:04:53 PM GMT

I don't think Worcester Women loved Foundation Hospitals.


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#40)

by jkitleft on Sun Apr 08, 2007 at 07:05:20 PM GMT

I don't think Cambridge students loved top-up fees


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#41)

by jkitleft on Sun Apr 08, 2007 at 07:05:41 PM GMT

I don't think they loved the Iraq war in Bethnal Green


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#42)

by jkitleft on Sun Apr 08, 2007 at 07:06:11 PM GMT

Attlee won a 145 seat majority on a mandate for mass-nationalisation


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#43)

by jkitleft on Sun Apr 08, 2007 at 07:06:48 PM GMT

I would have put that into one, but it said i couldn't write more than 50 characters


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#45)

by JR on Sun Apr 08, 2007 at 08:24:17 PM GMT

Yeh, in 1945!

If you think that policies in 1945 are appropriate in 2007, then you're crazy!


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#44)

by grimupnorth on Sun Apr 08, 2007 at 07:15:35 PM GMT

I do not like, or dislike, Gordon Brown.The fact is I do not know him. Nor am I likely to. The only judgment I can make on his prospects as  a leader  is based  on his policy descisions.THAT'S what we are voting on."Nobody likes him." I think you will find, JR, that is simply not true.
Actually, I  have a lot of time for the years  he has  put  in to the labour movement.Also time for his undoubted  intellect/concern for the Third World. And, I suspect still, good intentions.
The tragedy is that a formner socialist  has been drawn into the Blairite obsession with  Middle England, swing voters, and market agenda.Now the knives are out  from the REALLY scary people  like Hutton/Reid etc.If Brown were to move back towards where he started ,I suspect the left andcebtre-left of the Party woukld stand behind him. However, I think it's simply  gone too far for that.
BTW I  do not expect JR to actually read what I have said properly. I'm just a bit sick and tired of being lambasted by the right .Their school playground mentality is deeply sad.How  more facile does it get than "no-one likes Brown."


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#46)

by JR on Sun Apr 08, 2007 at 08:30:35 PM GMT

Yes, because the left on here are so mature aren't they.

grimupnorth, you just moan at everything. I don't think I've seen many of your posts lately which haven't included some sort of reference to me personally - you're getting obscessed. Stop whingeing all the time and just post rational debate.

John Hutton - really scarey! He's a big pussy cat! Can't quite imagine him being in people's nightmares.

Why are you surprised that the Blairites in the Cabinet are standing up to Brown? Reid has never liked Brown and I can understand why.

I get sick and tired of being lambasted by the left. But it doesn't worry me - I keep posting. I find most lefties immature, obscessive and irrational.


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#49)

by grimupnorth on Mon Apr 09, 2007 at 01:54:06 PM GMT

JR, I just posted some very rational debate.Re Gordon Brown.Why can't you  read it.
Obsessed with you? No. You just happen to post more vitriol which winds  people up. Your clear dislike of Brown is almost as apparent as your bile re  left-wingers. It's a  bit sad and mystifying. As Brown is actually promoting policies I would have thought you would agree with.Is Worcester Woman likely to be  captivated by old tankie John Reid? Hardly.
Without being at all vindictive, your position is a  little illogical.


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#50)

by JR on Mon Apr 09, 2007 at 05:54:51 PM GMT

The only winding up done on here is by the likes of wiseman!

Never said I would vote for Reid over Brown - I haven't decided yet. Since I don't know what Brown's policies will be, how can I possibly know if they're in line with mine?


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader: URGENT! I DON'T STAND A CHANCE! (#51)

by Wiseman on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 12:04:57 PM GMT

JR joking apart give grim a break, and treat a lady like a lady, and also remember everybody is entitled to their opinion. Get back to the debate of left vs right!!!


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader (#47)

by jkitleft on Mon Apr 09, 2007 at 11:36:44 AM GMT

You think the NHS is crazy?


Re: John4Leader (#48)

by jkitleft on Mon Apr 09, 2007 at 11:39:29 AM GMT

I think what people are really sick and tired of, is that Blairites and Brownites believe exactly the same thing, it's just tribalism that makes them hate each other


[ Parent ]

John4Leader: CALLING ALL TRADE UNIONISTS, SOCIALISTS, ACTIVISTS... | 51 comments (51 topical)