GB's reshuffle continues

Paul Murphy has been appointed Secretary of State for Wales. Again.

It is not yet clear whether this is a stand-alone appointment given that for the last few years Wales has been a part-time role given to toher cabinet Ministers.

Murphy was Northern Ireland and Wales Secretary when he was taken ill and stood down from Government a couple of years ago.

At least he's really Welsh . . .

Peter Hain resigns
James Purnell becomes new Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Andy Burnham becomes new Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport
Yvette Cooper takes over as Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Caroline Flint replaces her as Housing Minister

I spent this morning leafletting in the Labour marginal seat of Westminster North, where Karen Buck is the MP. Thousands of leaflets were delivered in that marginal seat today, yet I can't help feeling that the work done by the grassroots on the ground has been more than offset by the politcal blow in the national media from Peter Hain's deputy leadership election arrangements.

Poor Peter Hain, he is being hounded for failing to declare donations to his DL election campaign. Its something that can be easily overlooked in the heat of an election campaign. Its wasn't his fault unless he was made directly aware of it himself. Surely he would have had his Agent take care of all those legal technicalities. If any heads should roll then its that of those Agents. He's done the right thing and apologised and it should be left at that.

I'm (re)-reading Peter Hain's 1995 book 'Ayes to the Left'.

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........

UNISON website explains how and why the elected UNISON Labour Link national representatives voted to support Gordon Brown and Alan Johnson

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

Paul Flynn, who signed  Jon Cruddas's nomination papers,  is  now voting for Hain. Flynn was one of the 29MPs who nominated John McDonnell so it's  probably no coincidence.

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.

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

Date: 25th April

Time: 7.15pm

Venue: Thatcher Room, Portcullis House, Westminster

Speaker: Rt Hon Peter Hain MP

Date:  Tuesday 13th March 2007

Time: 6.30 - 8.00 pm

Venue: Conference Hall, Mary Sumner House, 24 Tufton Street, Westminster, London SW1P 3RB

RSVP: emma.burnell@sera.org.uk

Hazel Blears' Deputy Leadership Campaign launch speech in Salford on Saturday.

Apparently Peter Hain is both opposed to the extortionate bonuses some city workers get, but according to BBC News online, also supportive of them.

Latest information on where the unions are going in the deputy leadership contest from this week's Tribune.

Incidentally this is my last Tribune story as I am leaving. My colleagues are intending to keep posting stories in future.