If the role of the Deputy Prime Minister is to "engage" with the Labour Party, why is the role funded by the taxpayer?

I thought it was a very interesting speech. You might have noticed my comments during it. Caught my blonde hair in the light well. Don't know who the scruffy person sitting to my right is though, I wasn't with him. ;)

Concentrate, Snafu, concentrate! The job of Deputy LEADER is to engage with the Party, and it is not funded by the taxpayer.

Er, Bob, if Jon Cruddas is seeking people to vote for him, why is he stood in front of a banner suggesting that people should choose Change instead?

You need to read ALL of the banner, John. If you look over his left shoulder there's a hidden clue... it says 'Choose Change, Vote Cruddas'.

Bob: My right eye has selective blindness...

Bob, did you find out if Warley are offering formal support to any of the deputy leadership candidates?

Apparently they aren't, John, for the ludicrous reason that because they had supported John Spellar's view that a Deputy Leader was unnecessary they therefore should not nominate.

A sort of ridiculous 'refuse to recognise the court' argument. I blame the Cruddas supporters for not pushing the issue.

Grrr. What does John Spellar expect us all to do then - ignore the vote, spoil the ballot paper? Cruddas' campaign asked me to ring them tonight so I'll see if there is anything more productive I can do because the Warley thing's a bit frustrating!

John, I will be contacting all of our members urging them to vote for Cruddas, and hopefully branch activists in the other Warley Branches will do the same. There were a fair number of Sandwell councillors at the launch and I'm hoping they will also spread the word to activists and within their trade unions.

Bob, what are your reasons for wanting everyone to vote Cruddas?

I agree with the rest of the Country that we need a Deputy Prime Minister ready to step in at a moments notice, not someone who wants to build a council house.

I will take your answer to my clp and present it on Cruddas's behalf if it's a good one.

can't say fairer than that can I?

Gary,

Cruddas isn't standing for Deputy Prime Minister. That isn't up for election, the Deputy PM is a Prime Ministerial appointment as with all other ministers.

Jon Cruddas wants to be Deputy Leader of our Party, and he thinks doing that, whilst having a ministerial portfolio and being Deputy PM means thast little time is given to the Party.

With the Party Leader being PM, if the Deputy Party Leader is also Deputy Leader.... who is concentrating on leading the Party? Jon wants to help to re-engage the Party in the country with the Party in Parliament.

Bob, the last time anyone from parliament consulted with the Stoke membership was in 1952 during the Suez crisis. They asked our permission if it was an OK thing to do and us thinking it was in Sandwell, advised to 'attack in all haste!" We were so disappointed to find out later it was in the Middle East.

Alan Johnson wants to be Deputy PM and Jon Cruddas wants to be Deputy Leader.

One wants a big job, the other, a smaller one.
Cruddas has a problem here.

In Coventry, Johnson,Blears and Hain stole the show. Blears played to the crowd and won them. Johnson looked and talked like a Prime Minister and Hain displayed his CV from South Africa to Ireland.

The rest looked junior.

Have we got a branch meeting before the election Bob? I suspect the Cruddas campaign may want some leaflets and the like distributing.

John, yes, the meeting is in 2 weeks time. The leaflets will only be useful to those who have a vote, i.e. Party members of those in affiliated trade unions, so I am not sure who they will be leafletting.

Gary, given what you say, perhaps the Party has been wise to bypass Stoke in the consultation process.

Sorry Bob, that wasn't very clear, they mean a few leaflets to members of the party or those with votes elsewhere.

John, I'll do the branch members with the call-n notice if they let me have them.

No problem. Mrs D's just signed up as Abbey's newest member, so one extra vote i think!

Stoke aren't being bypassed, Bob.

Johnson and Benn have taken the time to enquire of progress.

The touble with Politicians generally, we find, is that they think they will be incinerated the moment they step foot into the City.

My general advice is that those that make the effort gain all the advantage.

Everyone is in with a shout in Stoke as long as they have merit.