Don't mourn, organise

I just wanted to follow on from my message yesterday.

I know that many of you will be disappointed that we didn't make it to the ballot paper. It's not just supporters of our campaign who are upset. Above all, Labour party members and trade unionists wanted the right to vote for the leader of our party.

However, I don't want people to lose hope. Our campaign has achieved a huge amount. We've mobilised thousands of people right across the country. Thousands of socialists have joined or rejoined the Labour party. We've linked together activists right across the labour movement. We've recruited a whole new generation of young socialists, and won back those who had long since given up hope. We're now in a stronger position to fight for socialist policies than we have been for years.

We've built a real movement out there. I don't want us to lose momentum after the events of the past few days. I know how angry many of you are, but I would ask you to stay in the party and fight.

Many of you will know that I am the Chair of the Labour Representation Committee, which brings together Labour party members and trade unionists right across the country. I would ask you all to join the LRC so that we can all unite and build on this campaign. Together, we will continue to fight for progressive policies: for public services, not private profit; for peace, not war; for direct investment in council housing; a real living minimum wage; support for free, universal education; and the restoration of trade union rights and civil liberties.

The LRC will have a conference in October to discuss where the left goes from here. I'll be in touch with details about this. If you haven't given us your contact details, please email us at info@john4leader.org.uk.

Above all, I want to take this opportunity to congratulate all of you. You all put a huge amount of work into this campaign. I am proud to have been involved in this campaign with you. You represent the best activists and best traditions that our movement has.

Let's all recall the words of Joe Hill, the IWW organiser: "Don't mourn, organise."

PS: We'll be overhauling the LRC website shortly so that it becomes the focus for the Labour Left - including discussion forums, blogs from MPs, trade unionists and activists, campaigning resources, etc. We'll be in touch about it soon.

Thank you

With Gordon Brown having gained 308 nominations from Labour MPs, it is now mathematically impossible for me to reach the nominations I require to stand. There will not now be an election.

Naturally I congratulate Gordon and wish him every success in Government, but it is a great shame that Labour Party members and affiliates will now not be allowed a vote on the leader of their party or the party's future direction.

I am disappointed for all those Labour Party members who worked so had for the party campaigning to get us elected that they have been denied an opportunity of participating in a democratic election for the leader of this party. I had hoped by standing I would have given them a voice in this crucial decision.

The demand from Labour Party members to debate the issues that confront our country will not go away and we will continue to campaign for a democratic say in that debate.

I want to say a massive thank you to the thousands of Party members, trade unionists and others who have supported this campaign, organised meetings, lobbied and mobilised - and made this a greatly enjoyable grassroots campaign. We have our heads held high, and will continue to fight on the issues. What's been so pleasing is the number of young people who have got involved and given this campaign such momentum. I am so proud to be associated with you all.

An appeal to Labour MPs on behalf of Party members

In the last 24 hours I am urging Labour MPs to nominate me so that Labour Party members are given the democratic right to elect the next leader of the Party.

Year in year out we rely on Labour Party members to deliver our leaflets, knock on doors, and fund the party with their small subscriptions and yet they will be excluded from participating in this election unless Labour MPs nominate me in the next 24 hours.

This is an appeal to Labour MPs on behalf of Party members to give them a vote.

Why I am standing

I am standing for leadership of the Labour Party because I have worked really hard to improve the quality of life for my local constituents but have increasingly come to the conclusion that there needs to be a change in national policies if we are to succeed. One way of securing these national policy changes is to stand for leader of the Party and force these issues onto the national agenda.

I have never been personally ambitious and look upon being MP for Hayes and Harlington as a vocation, not a career. However, if by standing for leader of the Party I can have some effect in improving our constituency and the country overall I believe that taking on this challenge will have been worthwhile.

The odds are stacked against me. It is a David and Goliath struggle, but I believe that I have the support of the ordinary Labour party members and trade unions who will cast the final vote in this election.

I hope that sufficient Labour MPs will nominate me and that they will not prevent Labour Party members having a say in the future of the Labour Government and who is to be the next leader.

Thanks to Michael

As many of you may know, Michael Meacher and myself held a meeting today and have together decided that I will stand as the candidate of the Labour left.

I want to use this opportunity to pay tribute to the gracious and dignified speech Michael made at the joint press conference today. Michael and his whole team have already been doing all they can to ensure that our campaign is a success - by calling on his supporters to nominate me, and by offering to do all they can to help.

No-one in Parliament has been more of a dedicated advocate of environmental issues than Michael. I look forward to working with him in the days and weeks ahead, and I am particularly looking forward to his contribution to the pressing issue of climate change.

As you will all know, to get a place on the ballot paper, I will need to receive the nomination of 44 fellow MPs. Today, I have asked my colleagues to nominate to ensure that Labour party members and trade unionists - the people who deliver our leaflets, fight the Tories at elections and keep our party going with their financial contributions - have a say in this upcoming election. I know that many MPs recognise that there is a tremendous appetite out there for a friendly, democratic debate that will only strengthen our party, and I hope that they will nominate me on that basis.

Finally, I want to thank you all for your support. The reason that we have got as far is because of the work many of you have put in to building what is, above all, a grassroots campaign. Already, this campaign has been a success. Let's continue to surprise them.

P.S. As you will know, Michael and myself took part in a friendly debate with Gordon Brown yesterday at the Fabian Society. Below you can see a video from the event: