Sweet Harman-y
Tim Hames on why Harriet Harman shouldn't be Labour's deputy leader:
The essence of the Harman pitch is the argument that the deputy leader “has to be a woman” or, at a minimum, “should be a woman”. I have spent many (pretty dull) hours carefully reading the Labour Party rulebook in a vain attempt to obtain evidence for this supposition. Indeed, I have shown the sort of diligence that a Biblical scholar might have for the Dead Sea Scrolls. No hint of such a requirement has manifested (or womanifested) itself.
There's more:
Not that it is only about listening. Ms Harman recently enlightened the Young Fabians (both of them) with the insight that she wanted Labour to be “dynamic, committed and confident” (does Mr Johnson want Labour to be slothful, ambivalent and gripped by a crisis of self-esteem?). She is also dead keen on supporting “active campaigning” (is Mr Benn into passive campaigning”?) and favours a party that is “democratic” (John Cruddas will be surprised to learn that he must, therefore, be aching for dictatorship).
I don't think Tim should be worrying though. On the home page of the Harmon Campaign website at present, there is a message of endorsement from, wait for it....that skilled election winner, Neil Kinnock! She is sunk.
Cory
