Former Sandwell assistant CEO drops out to help unify left vote
Melanie Dudley, the former assistant chief executive of Sandwell Council, who blew the whistle on the behaviour of allies of local MP Tom Watson, has announced this morning that she has pulled out of the selection contest for Labour’s candidate for Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for the West Midlands.
Ms Dudley has issued a statement addressing local members this morning to explain that she has done so in order to consolidate left support behind Unite-backed candidate Simon Foster:
Dear Labour Party Member
You will shortly be receiving your ballot paper for the selection of the Labour Candidate for next years Police and Crime Commissioner election. I am very honoured to have been short listed for that position. The role needs a left wing candidate.
However after several weeks of hustings and meeting with CLPs it has become clear that as one of the candidates on the left there is a danger of the left vote being divided. This would mean that we end up with a PCC candidate who does not reflect our party as it is now.
Therefore I have come to the conclusion that in order for the left to unite behind one candidate I should withdraw and support Simon Foster. He is an excellent candidate, importantly with the support of Unite the Union and someone whose policies I wholeheartedly endorse.
I want to see a Labour Government led by Jeremy Corbyn. With that in mind we need left wing candidates for every position. We also need to sometimes set our personal ambitions aside for the bigger prize. My commitment to that cause will not waver and I will be looking to play my part going forward.
It has been a joy to meet so many Labour Party members over the hustings period. I look forward to working with you in the future.
The other candidates in the race are Birmingham’s former Lord Mayor Yvonne Mosquito and former Blair minister Mike O’Brien. O’Brien announced this week that outgoing PCC David Jamieson, another former Blair front-bencher, has endorsed his candidacy.
SKWAWKBOX view:
The SKWAWKBOX applauds Ms Dudley’s decision to step aside for the sake of the Labour cause. Tom Watson, are you watching?
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Brava Ms Dudley. This is exactly the sort of behaviour our beloved Labour Party needs. People working to unite us behind Jeremy Corbyn rather than trying to divide us! Melanie Dudley, well done, I think you should go far!
And?
There shouldn’t even be PCC’s. What good are they? None. That’s what. Just another layer of bureaucracy and a sinecure for failed politicians (Usually of the bliarite type)
*FAO Mr Mcniven – ‘bureaucracy’ one of those words I usually have to check.
Typically ungenerous response we get from you in your lesser moments The Toffee.M Dudley is to be congratulated for her decision.The need for such posts is an entirely separate argument and should be kept that way!
And what do you want me to do? Dance a f**king jig about it? While she’s to be commended for exposing the cabal’s trabsgression(s), that was within her remit.
I don’t agree with the PCC positions for the reasons I gave. Just like I don’t agree with Lord Mayoral positions or royalty for that matter…
Dudley gave he candidacy up; that’s her choice. Must be nice to have that choice TO make. Was she a good enough candidate for the position? Did she perhaps realise she wasn’t in the running, and dropped out because of that?
You don’t know and nor do I.
I’m sure she’ll find a very well renumerated position elsewhere; where once again I’d expect her to blow the whistle on any malpractices seeing as that’s what she’s been or will be being paid for.
But don’t expect me to sycophantically fawn over it.
SMart action smart tactics , smart woman , well done Melanie , we need to play the RW better than them , at their own game .
That’s the way to do it
I am absolutely delighted that this woman has put the good of us all before her own personal ambition. She should consider putting herself forwards a potential PPC- we need as many like her as we can get .
M Dudley will have done no harm to her ambitions by showing generosity to the other candidate and showing that a left win is absolutely crucial to restore credibility to the Labour party tarnished by right wing greed and corruption.Maybe she would be better aiming higher for a parliamentary seat…….any vacancies I wonder?
Any vacancies?
If we get our way, about 150!
I can’t see it somehow, maybe about 4-5,. Broad church and all that nonsense, especially when broad church = majority neoliberal, warmonger, Israeli regime sycophant MPs.. Of course something will ‘have to be done’ about Tom Watson ‘Esq’ (rofl) because of Galloway’s challenge.
shame – I would have voted for her