Time to come out

The race to become the new Labour leader (and thereby Prime Minister) and deputy Labour leader will begin in earnest shortly.

It's strange to think, but in my 25 years as a Labour Party member I have not actually voted for the person who has become Leader or Deputy Leader.

Labour MPs will choose who the candidates are. To stand a candidate needs 12.5% of Labour MPs to nominate them. Both Michael Meacher MP and John McDonnell MP want to be candidates, but somehow unless one of them withdraws, I fear (for them, that is) that neither will be on the Ballot Paper.

Like others, I want there to be a proper debate in the Party about the future direction of the Party and Government.

And then there is the deputy leadership contest. There are some strong MPs looking to stand, amongst them are Hilary Benn MP, Alan Johnson MP, Harriet Harman MP as well as Hazel Blears MP and potentially Jack Straw MP. There is also, Jon Cruddas, Labour MP for Dagenham.

So, it's time to come out and say that I'm backing Jon to win. The Labour deputy leadership race is a real chance to look at the soul of the party, to re-engage not only with the party but the labour, trade union and community movements as a whole and I think that Jon Cruddas as Labour deputy leader can do that. I hope he will get the 40+ MPs to back him, because there are many thousands of party members and union political levy paying members who back him and want him to run and yes, even win! I'm one of them.