The Left in Scotland providing an Alternative to New Labour.

I've just got back from Scotland. This morning I spoke to a joint meeting of AMICUS and TGWU members, at lunchtime a fringe meeting at Labour's Youth Conference and in the afternoon at the AGM of the Campaign for Socialism , which is the grassroots organisation of the Labour Left in Scotland. It was a real bonus to be on the same platform as Elaine Smith MSP, who has been a tremendously effective voice for socialism in the Scottish Parliament.

There is real enthusiasm for our campaign in Scotland in both the constituency left and especially amongst the trade unions. This week more manufacturing job losses have been announced and a demonstration was being held today in Ayrshire at the loss of jobs in a local factory. The dogmatic adherence by Gordon Brown to the unfettered operation of the free market and the refusal by the Goverenment to intervene to protect and develop manufacturing industry is leading more and more trade unionists to seek an alternative.

Labour Party members are fearful at the prospects for the Scottish Parliament elections unless we can demonstrate an alternative to the current policies.

It is likely that as a result of the electoral system Labour will be able to remain in power with a continuing alliance with the Lib Dems. The predictions are that the SNP will not be able to put together the coalition needed to put them into office.

I am sure that in London this type of result will be spun as a major victory for New Labour, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. The reality will be the result is likely to demonstrate even further that replicated in a general election more seats will be lost and power will slip away from us.

There is speculation that this could produce a crisis of confidence in Gordon Brown amongst Labour MPs fearful of losing their seats and that this would trigger demands for another candidate from the New Labour stable to come forward. David Miliband is being touted not just by himself testing the water in his recent Times article but also in Guardian articles by Frank Field and Martin Kettle.

The response in Scotland was exactly right. Changing New Labour faces just wont wash no matter if they are from the generation below.

When will they learn?

It is the policies not the indidividuals. Unless there is a radical break with New Labour's neo con agenda people will very quickly see through just a change of New Labour personnel, especially as all the New Labour potential leadership alternatives have voted for every New Labour policy disaster from Iraq to privatisation of our NHS.

I hear from young people at the conference that virtually every front bench speaker launched an attack on my campaign without actually namimg me. Thetyt must be getting worried that our message of change is getting across.

Solidarity with GMB members in Enfield

On Wednesday this week, I was proud to join about 70 parking attendants and GMB members on their first of five days of strike action in their campaign to get union recognition. Over 80% of the workforce are GMB members - so how does NCP react? It refuses to recognise the union and suspends their union rep.

Support for the strike was 100% solid - the workers had voted 100% for strike action on an 85% turnout - and this was evident in the great atmosphere of solidarity on the picket line.

The striking workers were boosted by the pledges of support from workers across London and GMB Regional Secretary for London, Ed Blissett, announced that the entire Region backed this dispute. I will bring this dispute to the attention of MPs on Monday by tabling an EDM in support of the strike.

This is yet another example of why we need the Trade Union Freedom Bill that I am taking through Parliament as a private member's bill. On 28th February in Liverpool I will be speaking an IER conference on the Bill, and on the eve of the Bill's second reading date, I will be speaking alongside Tony Woodley, John Hendy QC, Bob Crow and others who have done so much to campaign for this essential Bill to bring UK employment rights into line with the rest of Europe.

UK children worst off in industrialised world

Today's UNICEF report blows the lid on the New Labour rhetoric about focusing on child poverty. Inequality in the UK has grown under Brown's Chancellorship, and we have missed even our own moderate targets on reducing child poverty.

This independent report puts the UK bottom among 21 industrialised nations for child well-being - and is a result of long-term trends that started under the Tories and have continued under New Labour.

In reaction to the report, Save the Children said: "The UK Government is not investing enough in the well-being of children, especially to combat poverty and deprivation". Even the Government's own Children's Commissioner, Sir Al Aynsley-Green said, "I think the shocking conclusion is that as a nation we have been failing our children".

The most startling findings are that the child poverty has doubled since 1979, and that over one in seven children live in households earning less than half the national average wage. The UK came 18th in the study for children's material well-being, despite being the fifth richest country. In education well-being (which measured school achievement, further education, and the transition to employment) the UK came 17th.

Despite this evidence, and a volley of condemnation and concern from the UK's children's charities and from the Children's Commissioner, the Government has dismissed the report as "out of date".

So let's bring the Government up to date: the latest figures for youth unemployment (December 2006) show that it is higher than when we came to power in 1997; according to UCAS last year there were fewer university applications from working class children - deterred by top-up fees and debt; and a report by Save the Children in January this year showed that in many inner city areas about half our children are living in poverty.

The reality is that inequality in income, health, housing, education is damaging the life chances of UK children both materially and psychologically.

The shameful findings of this report should act as a wake-up call to fight for socialist and redistributive policies.

Support Builds Across the Labour Movement

This week has seen yet another endorsement for my leadership campaign. The T&G Broad Left passed a motion unanimously supporting the campaign at their conference in Birmingham on Sunday. In a statement passed to us this week, members of the Broad Left explained their reasons for this important decision: "There is a wide appreciation throughout the TGWU that John McDonnell is supporting the issues that matter to the trade union movement and the working class in general."

This is a tremendous boost for our grassroots campaign. The Broad Left is the most important grassroots organisation of trade union activists within the T&G and played a decisive role in the election of Tony Woodley, the current General Secretary of the union. It is recognition of the fact that I am the only candidate standing for Labour leader who backs T&G policies - including a real living wage, the restoration of trade union rights, an end to the privatisation of our public services, a Corporate Manslaughter Bill, and the immediate restoration of the link between pensions and earnings. The Broad Left will play a key role in building support for the campaign within the T&G - which is, after all, the third biggest affiliated union.

The T&G Broad Left are the latest in a series of organisations to back the campaign. As many of you will know, the broad lefts in Amicus, UNISON and CWU have already unanimously backed the campaign. ASLEF unanimously backed the campaign last week, as did the RMT late last year. Union regions, such as CWU London and FBU London, have already endorsed the campaign. Grassroots organisations of Labour activists that have already supported the campaign include the Labour Representation Committee, the LRC's Socialist Youth Network, the Network of Socialist Campaign Groups, Welsh Labour Grassroots, and the Scottish Labour Campaign for Socialism.

Every week, we're told of yet more union branches, CLPs and Labour party branches that have voted to back the campaign. There's a real groundswell of support growing right across the labour movement. Labour party members and trade unionists want to be able to vote for a leadership candidate who actually supports Labour party and trade union policies.

Finally, I want to thank all of the activists who are putting in such hard work to ensure that this campaign is a success. I'm genuinely inspired by the commitment and enthusiasm out there. We've all got every reason to be excited about the months ahead.

US preparations to attack Iran gather pace.

Warnings have been given for some time that the Bush regime is preparing the attack on Iran. From the news today the preparations appear to be gathering pace.

Having failed to loot Iraq as planned, all the evidence points to the Bush regime now aiming to target Iran.

There is a significant build up of US naval power in the Gulf.

Prior to Christmas we saw leaked the evidence of the Israeli air force undertaking dry run training of the aerial bombardment of the Iranian nuclear establishments.

This week we have seen US spokepeople bring forward claims that Iranians are infiltrating into Iraq to supply arms to insurgents and even launch attacks on US forces.

It is hard to credit it but there is even talk today of the US administration publishing a dossier of their "evidence" proving their allegations about Iran's involvement in the Iraqi conflict. You would have thought that they had learnt their lesson over dodgy dossiers!

The threat of an attack on Iran is serious. Both the USA's military preparations and propaganda justification for the attack are clearly well under way.

Across the world now we need to stand together to reject this course of action. We need to unite our country in opposition to this folly and also link up with progressive thought in the US.

I am calling on our Government to make it clear to George Bush that we will not support an attack on Iran.

I am also calling on all members of our Labour movement to let Tony Blair and Gordon Brown know that we will not support military action against Iran and certainly will not support any British involvement in such an action.

I appeal to all those who hold elected office in the Labour Party and the Trade Unions to make their position clear to the Prime Minister that they will not support military action.

My appeal goes to all MPs, Ministers, Trade Union General Secretaries, and candidates for leader and deputy leader of the party. Gordon Brown especially has a responsibility to make his views known.

If we all stand together this time we can prevent the Government making the same mistake as it did over Iraq and we may be able to prevent further bloodshed and loss of life.

Media Coverage Like London Buses.

Typical isn't it. Yesterday there I am complaining about no mention of our campaign in the national press and then today two references come along in the same paper, the "Independent on Sunday."

In one article on the leadership election the Indie's veteran political commentator, Alan Watkins, refers to me as "the admirable John McDonnell." That came as a bit of a surprise as although I have always thought that much of his writing is particularly astute and certainly demonstrates an independence of thought, Alan usually has a pop at me and my politics. Anyway I can only be grateful for such a mention and description.

Further down the same page of the Independent a diary columnist, Joy Lo Dico, (someone I don't know and have never met) refers to Alan Watkins view that I may find it difficult obtaining the necesary MPs nominations but that Michael Meacher is faring worse. She goes on to write that it is "said by rivals that we are in talks about the idea that Meacher runs ahead with McDonnell as his deputy."

It goes on to say "Such an idea would delight Chancellor Gordon Brown, who needs a sacrifical lamb to stop the contest from becoming positively North Korean and Brown would rather crush Meacher than McDonnell."

I don't know who has planted this story. but you know how it is with sections of our beloved media. No matter how inaccurate or baseless a story, if it appears in print once it can get legs of its own. So before this gossip gets any legs and anyone gets any ideas I thought it best to put it down firmly and immediately.

Step by step let's get it right. The one thing about our campaign which completely reflects our politics is that we are open, honest and just straightforward. We have absolutely nothing to hide and actually nothing to lose in being completely open.

I am running for leader and nothing else. In our campaign we believe that we are nearing the halfway mark in terms of MPs committed to nominate with about another 15 or so MPs who we believe will eventually nominate because they want an election not a coronation. That leaves us needing another 5 to 10 nominations to find. We think there are another up to 20 possible nominations up for grabs. I don't think these MPs will make up their minds until pretty late on in the process and will base alot of what they decide on the opinions expressed by their constituency parties and their unions. That is why the focus of our campaign is based upon building momentum in the CLPs and unions. I've set out that strategy in virtually every speech I've made so it is no secret.

I am not badgering MPs to nominate me or putting anyone under pressure. That just isn't my style anyway. I understand the factors they have to weigh up and respect that. I want them to come to the right decision in the interests of our party.

I am not running for deputy leader as I want a decisive change in the the policies of the party. This change could only be brought about with a change of leader. Running for deputy would just be for position and to be frank has just become a career move for many others.

I am not entering into any pacts or deals with anyone, including Michael Meacher, to stand for deputy. I have always looked upon Michael as a friend and indeed I have expressed time and time again my respect for the work he has put in on climate change. Before last year's Labour Party conference I explained our campaign to him and told him he would always be welcome on board as part of the campaign team and he thanked me for that. That offer is still open.

However I would not stand as his deputy. No matter what my strong feelings of friendship I have for Michael I have to be completely honest on this matter. In the critical vote in Parliament on whether this country should go to war in Iraq, Michael voted for the war and remained in Ministerial office when Robin Cook and others resigned.

I know that Michael has later expressed regret for this decision and believes he was deceived by the Prime Minister over Iraq. However when you cast a vote for a position as important as the leader of the Labour Party you have to make a judgement on someone's ability to make decisions on principle at times like the war.

I wish Michael all the best but this is how I feel.

We will continue our enthusiastic grass roots campaign which has gained so much support from rank and file members in constituency parties and unions. Michael is very welcome to come on board and I would welcome his invaluable expertise on environmental matters.

Let's move on now and work together to mobilise the members of our movement and in this way get those nominations to secure a democratic election for the leader of our party.