The just published edition of the New Statesman carries a cover article by MPs Jon Trickett and Jon Cruddas which argues that the Labour Party needs to become more independent of the Parliamentary leadership and that a good place to start is the appointment of an automous general secretary, so who do Labour bloggers think that new general secretary should be?

Ahead of the Black Socialist Society's annual conference in Manchester this weekend, TMP editor, Chuka Umunna, looks at Labour’s relationship with the black community and responds to the documentary maker and Conservative Party supporter, David Matthews' piece in the latest issue of the New Statesman which argues that Labour can no longer rely on the unconditional support of black Britain.

Last night the good folk of the East Midlands gathered in Nottingham for a Compass event on building the progressive consensus. A high class panel of Ed Miliband, Hilary Wainwright and John Harris, ably chaired by academic Ruth Lister were on hand to discuss all and sundry.

Polly Toynbee is invariably referred to as one of the most influential commentators of the New Labour era, reviled and revered in equal measure.  This doyenne of the Left was formerly BBC social affairs editor and an associate editor of the Independent before rejoining the Guardian in 1998, where she had spent many years earlier in her career and where she still resides.  In this in depth interview with Polly - the first for many years - Chuka Umunna, editor of TMP (the online political magazine) and Compass management committee member, talks to Polly about life and her views.

In 1997, Peter Mandelson said “I say to the doubters, judge us after ten years in office. For one of the fruits of that success will be that Britain has become a more equal society. However, we will have achieved that result by many different routes, not just the redistribution of cash from rich to poor, which others choose as their own limited version of egalitarianism…” (Peter Mandelson, Labour’s Next Steps: Tackling Social Exclusion, Fabian Society 1997)

The Compass & Robin Cook Memorial Conference l Saturday 9 June l Westminster Central Hall London: It’s just under 2 weeks until this year’s Compass conference – held in association with UNISON; The Guardian and New Statesman. If you haven’t already booked your place we’d urge you to do so in the next few days in order to guarantee your place at this high-profile and exciting event.

Debate a new progressive politics at the shaping our global world Compass conference 2007 with further new speakers announced...

Visitors and bloggers to Labourhome may well be interested in the next two upcoming Compass events, one taking place the Tuesday after the 2007 elections - so very timely; the second the Compass Naitonal conference on the 9th of June, taking place immediately after the G8 summit and in the midst of Labour's leadership elections.

Neal Lawson's piece in today's Guardian (A decade of Blair has left the Labour party on its knees)argues that Blair has been a huge disappointment and that the continuation or furtherance of reforms in the public sector under a new leader would be a monumental mistake.

I'm sure Hack McNally 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....

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.

The last Compass eBulletin talks about the "50 strong Compass group of Labour MPs"

Niel Lawson's lies and deceptions on Tuiton Fees.

Compass has issued a statement criticising the Government for not calling for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

Such a call is an understandable response to the continued media coverage and particularly to incidents like the reported attack on UN observers yesterday. But it is not enough.

What has happened to Compass? Has Neal lawson taken all of the staff on holiday?

Is dismissing Compass as a throwback a self-fulfilling prophecy?

Is Compass pointing us in the direction of travel or is it leading us down a dead end?

Last weekend some friends and I made the trip down to London to attend the Compass conference. Compass is, broadly speaking, a left of centre, membership based think tank. The panels and speakers included some of the usual Labour events/media whores - Oona King, Stephen Twigg(who should start chewing gum or using breath mints or something ASAP), John Kampfner et al, but actually produced some interesting discussion and debate.