Because of boundary changes which reduce the Salford number of constituencies to just 2, Hazel Blears (MP for Salford) and Ian Stewart (MP for Eccles) went head to head for the nomination.

A senior trade union leader today called on the Government to put collaboration not consumerism at the heart of public service reform. Writing exclusively in “Participation Nation: The Challenge of Reconnection” Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, urges the government to drop market reform proposals in favour of a participatory approach to public service delivery. Speaking ahead of the launch of the pamphlet he said:

"The government should adopt a new strategy for public service reform - one based on real democratic participation instead of top-down targets and competitive markets. People shouldn't have to make a false choice between private firms that just want to cut costs and increase profits for their shareholders. Our public services must be genuinely accountable to the communities they serve, and staff and users should work together to find the best ways of improving them. But if this is going to work, the government has to listen to what communities are calling for and invest in the workforce that can help to make it happen. Otherwise all the talk about 'empowerment' and 'involvement' will only lead to more cynicism and disillusionment."

 
 

It seems to be 70s a go-go at the moment with reverberations of that decade all over the place. But despite its recent denigration perhaps there is something to be said for the decade that taste forgot?

Debate and drinks reception for the forthcoming publication "Participation Nation: The Challenge of Reconnection"

Keynote address: Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

Respondents:
Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive Royal Society of Arts
Shaun Bayley, Founder My Generation & Conservative Candidate for Hammersmith
Chair: Richard Wilson, Involve

 5.30pm - 7pm, the Royal Society of Arts, John Adam Street, WC2N 6EZ

email events@involve.org.uk to request a place at this event. For further details please see the Involve Website.

Just thought this might be a good place to post the results in full so people can comment on the statistical points. The first thing on my mind is that Benn was second in the Member section and a very slight third in the Union section when he was removed from the ballot - and was just 16 MPs short of beating Jon Cruddas...

...and who knows where Jon's preferences would have gone if a Benn were still in play?...

What do we all think?  Somewhat more awkward and tougher for the candidates than Newsnight this one.

Some definite hostile vibes between Harriet and Hazel on show, with Hazel's "handbag wars" comment.  Hain giving off the "you've stolen my thunder" vibe to Cruddas - since when was Hain so concerned with affordable housing?  A bit of a Blears Johnson love-in at the end.  Harriet objecting to the Brown "patsy" jibe. Hmmmm........

The Newsnight deputy leadership hustings has surely turned this election upside down or are we at TMP getting a bit too excited!?

In Hazel Blears' latest video, you can meet her campaign team including some of the MPs who are backing her.

This afternoon the executive of shop workers' union USDAW met and nominated Hazel Blears for deputy.

The Union also endorsed Gordon Brown for Leader.

Here's the video of the speeches from the Progress / Fabian Society hustings 

A full house of BSS members and representatives from over 30 grass roots organisations, including the UK’s biggest trade unions, faith organisations and Black, Asian and minority ethnic pressure groups, are expected at the event in Westminster on Monday 21 May.  All six deputy leadership contenders - Jon Cruddas, Harriet Harman, Hazel Blears, Alan Johnson, Peter Hain and Hilary Benn will address the hustings.

Nominations have closed and all 6 candidates survived the threshold.

In a speech to local activists and to members of Labour Friends of Bangladesh on Sunday, Hazel set out some of her motivation behind standing for Deputy Leader.

Peter Hain has passed the magic "44" figure of supporters. Harriet Harman also lists more than 44 MPs in her endorsements page and Hazel Blears has also got 44 public endorsements

Final chance - any questions for Hazel Blears or Jon Cruddas I am due to meet Jon Cruddas next week and Hazel Blears the week after. If you have a question for either simply leave it as a comment or email me at:

mike-ion@hotmail.co.uk

Dear Mark

Thanks for your letter - although I haven't actually received a copy myself. I agree that we must have a deputy leadership contest characterised by a genuine debate about policy issues. We can only renew the party in office by having a realistic assessment of what we have done right over the last ten years and what we could have done better.

Dear Hazel,

Thank you for your letter which I and tens of other Labour researchers in the House of Commons received recently. It is reassuring to know that the Chair of our political party values our back room endeavours so much. I must however confess to being slightly befuddled by much of the content of the accompanying "Hazel for Deputy" leaflet.

I am due to meet Hazel in a few weeks time - let me have your question and I will try (time allowing) to put it to her.

Please leave you question as a comment or email me at mike-ion@hotmail.co.uk