As exclusively predicted this morning by the SKWAWKBOX, Momentum founder and NEC member Jon Lansman has announced he is standing down from the contest to be Labour’s next General Secretary.
In a statement issued just now, Lansman said:
We applaud Mr Lansman’s decision. The Labour Party and its left member have nothing to fear from further left women candidates coming forward, but his decision to step aside will be especially welcomed by Labour members for the fact that it will mean no centrist-backed candidate assuming his NEC seat, as would have been the case had his application proceeded and been successful.
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Good and although I would back Jennie I think the Left needs to open up its processes. In my union elections we get a booklet where each candidate has written a statement and we then chose who to vote for. The Left should do this for the Left NEC slate etc. and instead of by some unknown process being offered the ‘Great and Good’ of the Left (who I always vote for) we should give an opportunity for new and diverse plus dynamic left stars to emerge.
What a way to supposedly open debate and encourage other candidates? I’m afraid I find it a very odd, unnecessary and divisive way to go about such declared aims when the same could have been achieved from the side lines…
I remain uneasy.
ex-act-ly!
He did it to open up the election as a democratic decision and to encourage others in particular women to put their names in. Personally I think the NEC position, as it is an admin position, should be appointed. But it wasn’t.
In other words,I know I can’t win so I am looking for someone to play a spoiler role!.
Having read Lansman statement , I am not sure how you quite reach that conclusion. If you think encouraging a selection of good capable people applying from the rank and file is somehow a spoiler , then that is a strange interpretation to put on his actions . Whether Lansman would have won or lost is now a mute point as we will never know but I for one believe his intentions were good in getting folks to apply . We shall see if and how many do so in the next day or so. .
I’ll assume now that a credible female candidate backed by UNISON, GMB and USDAW will be announced later tonight or tomorrow. Can’t see any other reason.
The membership will not tolerate any candidate backed by the GMB after its last candidate, Iain McNicol, attacked the membership and trashed the reputation of the union during his stewardship as General Secretary of the Labour Party.
The union would be well advised to avoid a confrontation with the membership over this appointment.
We are in no mood for another right wing GMB person undermining the Labour Party and its leadership.