Peter Kenyon

Selections in the spotlight: The End (for this election)

It's official, I have just had confirmation from Labour Party HQ that since John Heppell stood down in Nottingham East just before Easter no further Labour incumbents have stood down. Labour constituency labour parties have been spared any further imposition of candidates by the party's power brokers.

BBC Newsnight's Michael Crick noted on his blog earlier today that the absence of vacancies after the Election was called was 'especially remarkable'.

With that squalid chapter now closed, it's time to focus on 'Voters in the spotlight'. Is it an election or a beauty contest? Should the electorate focus on the party leaders or their party's policies?

Any more squalid selections in the spotlight? Or was Nottingham East the last?

4 pm April 20, 2010 - that's the deadline for nomination papers to be submitted for prospective parliamentary candidates. That's less than four working days away. Since the results of the Nottingham East 'selection' were announced late yesterday afternoon, I have been asking contacts on the Labour Party's Special Selection Panel and in the media about the prospects of yet more selections to come. Given how little time is left, any last minute 'resignations' by prospective parliamentary candidates would inevitably require a new candidate to be imposed - an ideal opportunity for the exercise of yet more patronage by the 'powers that be'.

Only two weeks ago, the Labour-supporting weekly Tribune magazine reported a possible further dozen 'redundancy runners'  resignations - MPs willing to step down to take advantage of generous payments for just not standing for parliament again under the corrupting allowances system of the last Parliament, now abolished. That was followed by a report of an even larger number in the Daily Telegraph on Easter Saturday. 'Up to 20 Labour MPs may stand down this week', its headline claimed. Nothing has happened. So far.

Reactions to my queries ranged from 'watch xxxxxxxxxxxxxx', who brusquely denied the suggestion when asked by a contact whom I knew would have the person's telephone number, to extreme doubt that any further stitch-ups were possible.

So I remain on alert to chronicle if necessary. Ideas about how to 'legislate' against these abuses inside the Labour Party in future would be welcome. Rebuilding trust between members, supporters, voters and their elected Labour Party respresentatives is going to take much longer.

Notts East selection: Chris Leslie gets nomination

Former MP Chris Leslie has been selected by the Labour Party's Special Selection Panel as its candidate in the Nottingham East parliamentary constituency.

He was chosen from a shortlist of nine by a panel of five NEC members, including Deputy Leader Harriet Harman and NEC chair Ann Black. 

The decision was reported by the FT's Jim Pickard here. And I can confirm from my own sources. Some reactions are best not repeated. It is rally round time.

UPDATE: the decision was another split vote Leslie 3 : Taylor 2

Labour's enforcers in last minute scramble to impose candidate

Applicants to represent the Labour Party in the Nottingham East parliamentary constituency are not likely to have to face a hustings. Some 500 members in what many regard as a vibrant Constituency Labour Party are going to be denied a vote. This follows a vote last night on the National Executive Committee's Special Selections Panel (in flagrant breach of policy agreed last November) by 8 to 7 to impose a candidate following receipt of applications.

This is further evidence of how the Labour Party has or perhaps remains institutionally undemocratic.

In mitigation, there was discussion yesterday about how CLP officers could be involved in the final decision about which candidate to adopt impose. The proposal was not put to a vote by the SSP and there is uncertainty about whether that would involve the SSP members assigned to decide travelling to Nottingham. The enforcers are understood to comprise: Deputy Leader Harriet Harman, NEC chair Ann Black, NEC vice chair Norma Stephenson, USDAW's Paddy Lillis and BAME representative Keith Vaz.

I am assured by local members that a CLP hustings could be organised for Monday next week. If I was a member there I would organise one and demand respectfully request that the SSP 'five' meet on Sunday at 5pm (the deadline for applications) agree a shortlist, so that the hustings can proceed the next day.

There have been persistent rumours that 'No. 10's' preferred candidate is former MP Chris Leslie, much to the disappointment of the PM's deputy political secretary, Jonathan Ashworth. And the latest twist is that the SSP vote last night reflected a majority who believe that the Prime Minister Gordon Brown wants Chris Leslie as the next MP for Nottingham East. I find it very difficult to believe that the PM would risk his reputation as a democrat over a mere selection. But he is not the only big beast alleged to have ambitions for former aides and allies. Deputy Leader Harriet Harman's special advisor Ayesha Hazarika is still looking for a seat. I sincerely hope that if Ayesha were to apply, Harriet would remove herself from the enforcers' panel immediately. 

The NEC decided unanimously in November last year the following form of words concerning selections after the General Election was called:

When the General Election is called the right of members to select their
candidates will remain a priority consideration for the panel. However, where
election timetable constraints make this impossible, the panel has the power,
under delegated authority from the NEC to select candidates on behalf of
local parties.

For the avoidance of doubt, the vacancy in Nottingham East arose before the General Election was called. The only reason that it was not declared Open at least a week ago was due to dissembling by party staff about the CLP's position concerning how a replacement for John Heppell should be decided. Therefore the SSP (IMHO) has no powers to change the procedure in this instance.

It is not too late for sober reflection by the powers that be. The Labour Party's reputation nationally could depend on members being given a say.

Labour Party outstanding selections - Nottingham East and....?

Just because a general election has been called does not mean that my selections in the spotlight series is off air. Quite the contrary, we have now entered a period during which members' rights in selecting parliamentary candidates are at greatest risk of abuse by powerful individuals among the Labour Party leadership.

Particularly puzzling is an inordinate delay in the designation of Nottingham East vacated by John Heppel two weeks ago. My sources tell me that the Special Selections Panel was told by Party staff that the CLP had not been consulted. That is most unfortunate, as the sitting Labour MP's intentions were discussed by members at the CLP's AGM two weeks ago and a view formed as to how the vacancy for a prospective parliamentary candidate should be filled.

To reinforce the message for an OPEN selection with local candidates a petition to the NEC has been signed by (at the last count notified to me) nearly 200 members.

The Special Selections Panel is due to decide today whether it should be open or an all womens' shortlist.

My worry and that of members in Nottingham East is that there will be enormous pressure for candidates to be imposed. That concern has only been heightened by unsubstantiated rumours of yet more sitting Labour MPs making the redundancy run and pocketing up to £65K stepping down. I only hope that's all completely untrue, otherwise I fear I could be very busy staying off message, but defending members' rights, rather than out on the doorstep in marginal seats.

Selection in the spotlight: Nottingham East

It's official. There is another vacancy for a parliamentary seat in Nottinghamshire. This time it is Nottingham East according to this report in the local paper. This confirms local speculation reported here last Saturday that such an eventuality might occur though for entirely different reasons from those cited by me.

John Heppell MP is standing down according to the online service This is Nottingham as his wife has breast cancer.

I wish her a speedy recovery, him a comfortable retirement and the members of Nottingham East CLP an open and transparent process to select a new prospective pariamentary candidate with no repeat of the Ashfield gambit.

Labour Party creates new industry - parliamentary seat engineering

What does an ambitious young chap do when a sitting Labour Party MP in a convenient parliamentary seat just refused to step down? Well, reading between the lines of BBC 2 Newsnight political editor Michael Crick's  blog (down page) the seat engineers just go and find another one. Will it be Selection in the spotlight: Nottingham East before long? And will the Labour Party Special Selection Panel even bother to give the members of Nottingham East a vote? According to Michael Crick the eager MP wannabee is none other than Jonathan Ashworth, deputy political secretary to the Prime Minister.

The last time I blogged about selections in that part of the world, I received a text message on 1 March from the self same JA complaining as follows:

I see you make a coded reference to me in your blog. Again perhaps you might have got in touch before posting.

To which I replied:

Why? A public statement from yourself ruling yourself out of consideration for any selection now would IMHO be the best possible contribution you could make to Labour's election campaign. Ditto any other member of No.10 staff, Labour Party staff or NEC.

That remains my view. What do you think?