if at first you dont succeed….

Besides if we dont try weve already lost and theres more to an election contest than getting on the ballot paper. Look at the amount of people the original John4Leader engaged with the thousands of young activists that got involved and meetings up and down the country bringing in 400 people – when your average lefty meetings (of any variety ) top out at about 60 attendees if your lucky its a significant improvement.

We can also shape the debate back towards the left – if there was an absence of the left in the debate/contest it would just be Harman vs Miliband out righting each other.

On the subject of your dream/disaster ticket, I somehow doubt that Harriet Harman is going to let Miliband and Johnson beat her to the top job when she has been deputy leader of the party. The infighting will be hilarious to watch.

I’m glad you wrote:

“If there is an election then of ocurse the left should have a candidate or would you rather we sat on the side lines and watched”

I therefore take it you will not be supporting John McDonnell since there is no chance he will get on the ballot paper.

I have to say, I think the term, hard left’is not an attractive one, and can be used by the media to stereotype the left in general, which in truth is a very diverse affair.

I mean, I am known to sell it outside Waitrose on a Saturday….shows utter commitment for building the class struggle.

McDonnellite Tendency? Interesting choice of trot words. But in saying that, it would put me into that tendency as well.

Once again, as the initiator of the letter, John McDonnell had literally absolutely nothing to do with it whatsoever.

As for the stalking horse scenario – this is genuinely absurd. John has already made it clear on thousands of occasions that he would never stand as a stalking horse. It would be completely counterproductive from the perspective of the left because it would simply usher in another leader with the exact same politics as Brown – what possible motive would he have?

If you read the letter I have circulated carefully, it says “if a leadership contest is to take place” and “urges John McDonnell to stand when there is a vacancy and for MPs to nominate him…”

In other words, the whole point of launching this campaign is the recognition that there will only be days to put together a leadership campaign when Brown is deposed. The purposes of this campaign are: a) to convince John to stand; b) to convince MPs to nominate him.

I hope that John will stand if there is a contest to ensure that progressive policies are put on the political agenda. I certainly wouldn’t ever support him standing as a stalking horse but thankfully that’s the last thing John would ever consider.

John hasnt called for Brown to go – its about the policies – as you well no Dave!

i’ll say again if the right wing tossers who cravenly suported him last yr have now decided hes got to go for someone else to carry on with the same policies were screwed.

If there is an election then of ocurse the left should have a candidate or would you rather we sat on the side lines and watched Balls vs Miliband slug it out to out tory the tories?