I had largely discounted these rumours as I doubted that the party could afford an election in the near future. However this report on the BBC quoting Party Vice Chair Martin Salter is worrying, suggesting the possibility of an election this autumn.

Now I'm not one for conspiracy theories, but there has to be grounds for concern that the tactics adopted by the party machine in Nottingham South and Calder Valley reported elsewhere are part of a scheme to prevent the selection of socialists in winnable seats. I note too that the recent list of selections posted on Labour Home is largely one of seats that are not especially Labour friendly. If the PLP becomes even less like the party in the country in terms of the breadth and balance of views in the coalition that is the Labour Party, then surely there is danger of trouble similar to that which blighted us in the late '70s and early '80s.

So my message to the party leadership is don't call an early election and allow CLPs to select the candidates of their choosing, not yours.