John McDonnell: campaign grows

Submitted by cathy n on 23 February, 2007 - 11:24

The last few weeks have seen several boosts for John McDonnell MP's campaign for the leadership of the Labour Party. With growing support among the unions and MPs, and a packed schedule of large meetings around the country, McDonnell has welcomed the “heartening and motivating” progress of his campaign.

In spite of the media blackout about the challenge John McDonnell is posing to a Gordon Brown coronation, there is no lack of interest in John4Leader public meetings. One of the most successful meetings of the campaign so far took place in Lewes last month, with over 400 people packing into the Town Hall to see McDonnell and Tony Benn outline a very different agenda for the party.

McDonnell has also seen a gradual influx of support among the trade unions. On 8 February the train drivers’ union ASLEF declared its support for McDonnell’s campaign - the largest union so far to declare for either candidate. The executive meeting which decided to support John passed this resolution despite the absence of general secretary Keith Norman - who a few days later displayed his contempt for democracy by publicly declaring his support for right-wing deputy leadership candidate Peter Hain!

Having already won support of the broad lefts of the CWU, Unison and Amicus, the latest left to declare support for McDonnell was that of the TGWU.

Many obstacles do however remain to the progress of John4Leader. The sectarian antics of the potential Michael Meacher campaign (orchestrated by Alan Simpson) serve to promote confusion and, however undirected their own efforts, do undermine what McDonnell is trying to do in the Labour left. Meacher is not a serious left candidate, with no support around him at this late stage, and is clearly hoping for a way out of his current bind - maybe even standing for deputy leader.

It is vital that the Labour left and the left in the unions stand up for working-class political-representation Ñ this means building the John4Leader campaign in trade union branches, CLPs and community organisations.

McDonnell in Norwich

By Pat Yarker

Ninety people came to hear John McDonnell speak at UEA on 9 February. Students made up the bulk of the audience, but trade unionists and local campaigners were also in the hall and keen to hear more about the new direction McDonnell wants the Labour Party to take. He reminded us he had worked hard for Labour to win in 1997, and that the alternatives facing the Party now were stark. Gordon Brown had bankrolled New Labour’s policies, and would maintain a pro-business agenda. By contrast, McDonnell’s campaign-policies resonate with the mainstream of the labour movement and the wider public. McDonnell drew on the experience of his constituents living around Heathrow to underscore the importance of pollution issues, climate-change and the power undemocratically wielded by capital. He reminded us of the Gate Gourmet workers’ struggle and the inspiring (and currently-illegal) solidarity action taken by fellow-workers in their support. He answered questions from the floor about the treatment of public sector workers, about identity-cards, green energy and the possibilities for socialists at work in the Labour Party. A large contact-group of people willing to build McDonnell’s campaign in Norwich was established after the meeting, and has already held a street-stall in the city-centre. Later in the evening McDonnell spoke at a further meeting to twenty-five members of Norwich Labour Party.

* Details of the Norwich4John group from Pat: 07876 663 659.

Campaign dates

20 February 1pm: Pensioners4John Ñ British Pensioner Trade Union Action Association, Birmingham

22 February 7.30pm: Croydon TUC, Ruskin House, Coombe Road

23 February 6pm: “Towards a Third Term for Welsh Labour”. Histories Room, St Georg’s Hotel, The Promenade, Llandudno. Speakers include Sue Essex AM, Sue Lent, John McDonnell and Cllr Derek Vaughan

28 February 12.15-1.30pm: Institute of Employment rights conference on Trade Union Freedom Bill, Adelphi Hotel, Lime Street, Liverpool
7pm: Liverpool Amicus, Blackburn House, Blackburn Place (off Hope Street), Liverpool, Merseyside, L8 7PE

2 March 3pm: PCS DWF North Merseyside branch Executive Committee AGM, Bootle
7.15pm: Merseyside TUC, The Vines, Public House, Lime Street, Liverpool

3 March 1pm: South Leicestershire CLP. Contact: Ralph Innes: 01455 284466

5 March 4pm: University of East London
8pm: Redbridge / Ilford South CLP

6 March 7pm: TGWU Public Meeting, Friend’s Meeting House

8 March 8pm: Unison Hammersmith

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