Live blogging from the leadership hustings

"I knew someone would have some live reportage from the Fabian Society hustings tonight. I just didn't know who."

I came here for precisely that reason.
Thanks for the link.

Well who else would it be really :)

MarshaJane
xx
www.unionfutures.blogspot.com

The full transcript of the debate is here:

http://fabians.org.uk/events/hustings-07-leaders/speech

There's an extremely favourable Guardian Comment piece about it here:

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/tom_happold/2007/05/challenging_the_chancellor.html

"you'd better hope that Michael Meacher does not emerge as the chancellor's challenger. Judging by yesterday's Labour leadership debate, he would make a truly terrible candidate. Boring, pompous, and seemingly unaware that a sentence requires a full stop, he would give Brown little to worry about, and even less to do to secure a resounding victory.

John McDonnell, on the other hand, showed some class debating the chancellor. Unlike Meacher, he actually seemed to know what he stands for - it helps that he did not vote for the invasion of Iraq - and displayed an ability to communicate his message in a way that relates to people's lives. And though a McDonnell candidature would still not turn the leadership election into a real contest (a coronation it will remain), it would at least make it a real debate - something that would benefit the Labour party and even, paradoxically, Gordon Brown.

Faced with the woeful Meacher, the chancellor could easily give in to the temptation of avoiding the difficult questions."

BBC latest news thingy:
"John McDonnell says Michael Meacher will stand aside in Labour contest. More soon."

Guardian:
"Brown to face challenge from McDonnell"

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/labourleadership/story/0,,2079253,00.html