Workers' Memorial Day

Tomorrow (28th April) I will be speaking at an event in Leicester, organised by the local trades council, to mark International Workers' Memorial Day.

The Government must take serious action to combat deaths at work. Over 200 workers were fatally injured at work in the UK last year, including a 14% increase in the construction sector. In the 30 years since the Health and Safety Work Act, over 10,000 people have died at work, only 11 directors have been convicted and only 5 of those have gone to prison.

The current legislation on Corporate Manslaughter is woefully inadequate and deliberately excludes the prosecution of negligent directors. There is a consensus among the trade unions and health and safety experts that we need new legislation to improve workers' safety. A number of unions including Amicus, TGWU, UCATT and others have fought hard to raise awareness, including at a lobby of Parliament on 28th March which I attended.

Meanwhile, the Government is busy sacking staff from the Health and Safety Executive with over 1000 losing their jobs in the past three years. These workers, members of PCS, had a direct impact on workplace safety through enforcement of regulations and the provision of advice to employers. In sacking these staff, the Government's actions are nothing short of irresponsible.

At Labour Party conference, a motion was passed to toughen corporate manslaughter legislation - sadly the Government ignored this and so we have to continue our campaign to prevent more unnecessary deaths at work.

Meacher Breaks Agreement and Launches Public Attack

I am saddened to see that Michael Meacher has broken his agreement that there would be a comradely discussion within the Left on how a Left candidate would proceed to the ballot paper in the leadership election based upon which candidate had the most nominations. People will recall that he gave a public pledge in the Independent that he would withdraw if if he had less nominations than our campaign. In this morning's Guardian he has launched a public attack on our campaign and come out with some outrageous verging on the delusional statements.

I no longer feel I can just remain silent.

Over the last few weeks extensive discussions have taken place with Michael Meacher. Mike Wood MP - who has acted as our Parliamentary team leader - first of all sought meetings with Alan Simpson MP whom we believed was Meacher's campaign manager. Alan denied he was the campaign manager so we then approached Kelvin Hopkins MP but he also declined to play this role. Meetings then took place with Michael Meacher himself because we couldn't find anyone else who was willing to state they were part of his campaign team or state publicly that they supported him.

Basically the situation is that when Tony Blair declares he is standing down there will only be a few days for MPs to send in their nominations. If an MP has nominated, he or she cannot switch their nomination to another candidate unless that candidate withdraws from the election. The nominating MP has no control over this.

So, as there will be little time to secure a withdrawal of candidature and then switch of nominations, we have been desperate to compare nominations with Michael Meacher so that a decision can be taken early on who should drop out and who should go forward.

The problem is that Michael Meacher will not reveal even in the strictest confidence the list of nominations he claims to have secured. His only known supporters - Alan Simpson, Kelvin Hopkins and even Michael's own personal assistant - have confirmed that they have not seen any list.

We appreciated that some MPs will not want to have their names publicised. We have quite a number like that as well. So what Mike Wood suggested to Michael was that we both set out our first dozen or so nominations and meet with each to verify. Then after that we move on to the next dozen and then the next until the person with the least drops out. In fact we have been publishing some of our nominations on ourv website every week. I think the first dozen have gone up with supporting statements.

However Michael has still refused to give anyone sight or publish any names of MPs nominating him.

We are at a loss what to do.

Over the last month Michael Meacher has claimed 50 nominations secured. This then went down to 40. It is now down to 25. In Saturday's Guardian it suggested what most believe to be accurate that he has only two firm commitments. In the Guardian today he claims to have signed statements from 25 MPs confirming that they will nominate him. Nobody has seen these statements. Last year he did circulate a form asking if MPs were in favour in principle of a challenge from the Left and many signed this but this form did not refer to him as the candidate. He has circulated another form more recently including his own name but most MPs have reported that they have informed him that they are not willing to nominate him.

In his letter to the Guardian he alleges that the reports from Gordon Brown's camp in Saturday's Guardian that he has secured only three nominations were published because Brown is promoting my candidature because he is frightened of facing Michael Meacher.

Just make of this what you will but on the basis of this and other statements about the number of nominations secured many are beginning to worry about Michael's judgement.

I believe that we can demonstrate in this election that there is overwhelming support in our movement for the policies the Left is advocating. We can use this campaign to rebuild the Left both within the party and in the wider movement. We can only do that if people display a commitment to the wider movement than personal motives and above all if people behave with dignity that inspires respect.

If there is anyone who feels they can exert any influence over Michael Meacher at this stage please do all you can to assist. His behaviour may well mean that we run the risk that no Left candidate gets on the ballot paper.

Endorsements update

You can see the latest additions to the endorsements page here.

My thanks to my colleagues Ann Cryer MP and Neil Gerrard MP for their messages.

I was also delighted to hear that the Greater London Association of Trades Union Councils voted unanimously to endorse the campaign last week.

I'll let you know when we next update the endorsements page. Once again, my thanks for all of your support.

An Unseemly Atmosphere of Intimidation

I'm just back from Scotland, campaigning for Elaine Smith MSP. Elaine is a principled socialist who has worked tremendously hard in the Scottish Parliament and in her area. She was born and bred in her constituency of Coatbridge and it was strikingly obvious from talking to local people at the meetings I attended and when we were leafletting from a streetstall in the town centre how well she was known and respected for her hard work in her constituency.

Elaine is in the finest tradition of Labour representatives. Someone who is steeped in the community she represents and who clearly loves the area and its people. The New Labour practice of parachuting favourite apparatchiks into safe seats has undermined this once proud tradition of our party and has contributed to alienating our support.

I am sure that Elaine will do well in her election and if there is any vacancy for a Scottish first minister or any senior ministerial post in the future the party would do well to consider supporting Elaiine for this post. She would serve Scotland and our party with talent, sound judgement and commitment.

As we were campaigning I picked up the article in the Guardian reporting that because I was close to securing sufficient nominations to stand for Labour Leader the Brown camp were worried and, to quote, " were intent on stopping a challenge from the party's left wing, most likely from John McDonnell." According to this article from two of the most reliable and respected political journalists in the country, David Hencke and Tania Branigan, Brown and his campaign managers are determined to stop me getting on the ballot paper even to the extent of trying to pressurise some of my supporters to switch allegiances.

Creating this atmosphere of intimidation and this unhealthy climate of bribes and threats is just unseemly and demeaning for those who are involved or who have sanctioned this behaviour. Why can't MPs be left to make up their own minds in an atmosphere free from bullying threats about the implications for their future careers? Why can't they be left to make a judgement on whom to nominate based upon what they believe is best for the party and the country? Many MPs just want to nominate to allow all party members and trade union affiliated members the chance of a vote and say in this leadership election.

Yet again my message to all of those New Labour factions around Blair and Brown is to lighten up and let democracy work. Let's have an open and friendly debate and a democtratic election. An election with a smile on its face. A bit of maturity and dignity wouldn't go amiss.