Who's in and who's out in Stoke on Trent Central?
So, as I speculated in my blog last week, John Heppell has just announced he is retiring as Labour MP for Nottingham East. He is stepping down to help his wife fight cancer.
We now wait to see whether Gordon Brown's deputy political secretary in Downing Street, Jonathan Ashworth, who lives in Nottinghamshire, will go for it.
More news from Labour's selection process in Stoke on Trent Central, where Peter Mandelson seems to be making great efforts to get the historian Tristram Hunt chosen.
I am told the NEC Special Selections Panel is interviewing candidates for the Stoke short-list on Monday, and that the short-list will appear before hustings for party members in Stoke next Thursday.
The former Tribune editor Mark Seddon hasn't even been invited for an interview, despite Mr Brown telling him at Michael Foot's funeral that he should be in Parliament, and despite claiming the support of the retiring MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central, Mark Fisher.
Another rejected from the Stoke selection is the Hackney councillor and former Labour student leader Luke Akehurst.
I'm Michael Crick, and I'm Newsnight's political editor. My guiding rule is that in any story there's usually something the politicians would prefer the world not to know. My job is to find that out. Follow me on
Comment number 1.
At 26th Mar 2010, Peter Kenyon wrote:Dear Michael
But who is going to be allowed to vote? Rumours swirl that in both Stoke and Halesowen - only those attending the hustings will get a vote.
I'm checking this out. But I don't remember it being agreed at this week's National Executive Committee.
Peter Kenyon
elected member, Labour Party NEC - constituency section
Complain about this comment (Comment number 1)
Comment number 2.
At 27th Mar 2010, Sarah Hill wrote:Interesting about Mark Seddon saying he has the endorsement of Mark Fisher - he's the third person to have said this so far.
I can honestly say Mark has not said he would endorse me....
Complain about this comment (Comment number 2)
Comment number 3.
At 29th Mar 2010, GreatDave1 wrote:Why is Akehurst even getting close? Baffling...
Complain about this comment (Comment number 3)