Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Newsnight Mock Election: Labour Deputy Leadership


Can't quite remember all the numbers. But in the first round of this poll of 500 people who went to the Fabians/Progress event in London tonight Hazel Blears came first on 26% I think with Hilary Benn second on 22% and Cruddas I think on 13% and Hain on 10% the first to go. Harman and Johnson are all in the mid teens.

I'd expect Cruddas' seconds to go quite widely, but perhaps not many to Blears. We'll see. As Michael Crick and Gavin Esler point out it is only a bit of fun, and a specific kind of London audience may not be typical. Was Luke there whipping the votes for Hazey? I think we should be told.

UPDATE: Correction and full figures in comments thanks to Luke Akehurst. Will hope there is some news on the exhaustive transferring on the website. Newsnight/Crick underestimated the process but Crick seemed to think Hazey won.

8 comments:

Luke Akehurst said...

No I was at home, gave up my ticket because my son was teething.

Blears 26%
Benn 22%
Johnson 15%
Harman 14%
Cruddas 13%
Hain 10%

Chris Paul said...

Cheers Luke. Hain goes. His might go to Cruddas.

Chris Paul said...

Newsnight too slow to do the sums ...

jailhouselawyer said...

Alan Johnson, the Hull West and Hessle MP, is the clear favourite to take the Deputy Prime Minister's job. He has more than 60 MPs backing him, 10 MEPs and 53 Peers.

Luke Akehurst said...

The 53 peers have the same votes as any 53 individual members of the Labour Party - the do not get an MPs' vote in the electoral college.

Chris Paul said...

Luke's right John. The slight edge on MP votes - and these may not follow the nominations necessarily - could be swamped by the CLP and TU differences.

Chris Paul said...

PS and there are still 30+ MPs to nominate DLs, that means any of them could lead at 12:30 tomorrow. Johno couldn't be last but he could be 3rd if the hold outs get creative.

Anonymous said...

It seems Hazel picked up the lion's share of 2nd preferences too.

Went to a Dep leadership hustings the night after as well. Blears and Benn (in a order) were once again ahead of the rest of the pack...