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NEC elections: centre left leads the field

Figures from the Labour Party on nominations for Labour’s national executive indicate that, so far the Left are leading the field. These figures show nominations actually received by the Labour Party at 24 February. Although details of other nominations are available (Progress, for example shows higher figures for their candidates), the party’s own figures do probably constitute an unbiased sample, unlike the information held by either Left or Right. Nevertheless, it is still early days as nominations do not close until Friday 30 March 2012. Information on centre-left candidates is available here.

Ann Black, from the centre-left, leads the field with 54 so far, still well below the 275 she got last time when she received the most nominations. Ellie Reeves, from the right-wing Progress/Labour First slate, is in second place, one up from where she finished last time. Overall, the centre-left have four of the top six positions as they did last time, with the Right one down. Independent Johanna Baxter, runner up last time until Oona King received a peerage, is in sixth.

Kate Osamor and Darren Williams, standing for the first time from the centre-left, are neck and neck with established right-wing candidates, Peter Wheeler and Luke Akehurst. But Peter Willsman of the centre left, knocked off last time, looks better placed for re-election. And the bottom three right wing Progress candidates, on this showing, stand little chance of election. The full details are as follows (2010 nominations in brackets):

Ann Black Left 54 (275)
Ellie Reeves Right 32 (182)
Ken Livingstone Left 31 (235)
Christine Shawcroft Left 29 (160)
Peter Willsman Left 25 (137)
Johanna Baxter Independent 23 (65)
Peter Wheeler Right 21 (132)
Luke Akehurst Right 20 (82)
Kate Osamor Left 19
Darren Williams Left 18
Florence Nosegbe Right 11
Ruth Smeeth Right 11
Joanne Milligan Right 9
Lewis Atkinson Independent 9
Gary Heather Left 8
Shukat Ali Right 3 (52)

3 Comments

  1. I think this is a fair reflection of an extremely tight race for places 5 and 6.

    Another way to look at it is the percentage of last times total nominations that each of us has already received (e.g. Ann Black 54/275×100).

    This is a crude measure of the field operation each candidate has and its direction of travel since 2010.

    Johanna Baxter 35.2%
    Luke Akehurst 24.4%
    Ann Black 19.6%
    Pete Willsman 18.2%
    Christine Shawcroft 18.1%
    Ellie Reeves 17.6%
    Pete Wheeler 15.9%
    Ken Livingstone 13.2%

    I hope you will do an update post on Friday!

    1. Jon Lansman says:

      I think Luke’s figures are well worth looking at but I think they mainly reflect the benefits of incumbency.

      Luke and Johanna were elected for the first time in 2010 and that makes it easier to consolidate their position in nominations. Johanna’s rather greater increase on last year probably reflects her assiduous attendance of GC meetings – a factor which may count for more in nominations than votes – but also her independence of the slates.

      The two Peters, on the other hand, were incumbents in 2010 but narrowly failed to be re-elected, so Peter Willsman is doing rather better compared with his previous nominations than Peter Wheeler, who is in danger of slipping behind Luke on the right-wing slate.

      Ken’s nominations look like they will turn out lower than before which could indicate that some people believe that these CLP seats should be reserved for rank & file candidates (which he was in 2010 but arguably isn’t now that he is standing again to be Mayor of London). I’d argue that’s a bit harsh when there isn’t any other section in which he could reasonably be a candidate. In any case, I don’t think it will be a significant factor in the actual election when name recognition counts for quite a lot.

      I notice Luke doesn’t mention Kate Osamor and Darren Williams who are both hot on his heels in spite of being first-time candidates.

      I shall indeed be covering the race for nominations in future weeks.

  2. Gary Elsby says:

    Luke Akehurst sure knows how to spin a bad story into a good one.
    24.4% sells it for me.
    Did I ever tell you of a bottle of Elixir I bought froma travelling salesman who told me it would cure all my ills?
    I was expelled from the Labour Party after one drink.
    But I did see the future where those that conspire to defraud ordinary members of their rights are expelled and those that stand up to fraud go forward.
    Luke, where are your other 75.6 percentages?

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