Why talk of a Cruddas Purnell ticket isn't Balls
James Forsyth 5:14pm
With Gordon Brown appearing doomed the level of chatter about the Labour leadership contest that will follow the next election is increasing, Fraser did his political column on it this week.One of the more intriguing ideas out there, which Allegra Stratton floated on Tuesday, is that Cruddas and Purnell might team up on a ‘Stop Balls’ ticket. The idea would be that the presence of Cruddas on the ticket would make Purnell acceptable to the Unions and the soft-left while Purnell’s presence would allay fears that Cruddas wanted to take Labour back to the pre-Blair era. (To be accurate, Cruddas is a Blairite but an early stage one—1994 to 2000—not a late stage one.)
Toby Helm has poured cold water on the idea on the grounds that Cruddas and Purnell are too ideologically different to run together. But to win the Labour leadership, people are going to have to form alliances across the divides in the party: no bloc is strong enough to deliver the leadership on its own.
I suspect we’ll see ‘dream tickets’ forming, there will be a deputy leadership contest as well if Harman runs, which are designed to broaden the candidates support beyond their natural constituency. In these, personal chemistry is going to matter and Cruddas and Purnell do get on well. Tellingly, Cruddas heaped praise on Purnell at a think tank event yesterday describing him as the best civic republican in British politics.
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Rhoda Klapp
March 6th, 2009 5:29pm Report this commentYawn. Unless anybody longs to wound enough to actually have a go.
cuffleyburgers
March 6th, 2009 5:58pm Report this commentDream ticket?
Pass the sick bag Alice...
Sally Chatterjee
March 6th, 2009 6:03pm Report this commentRemember that when in opposition, Labour party members get to elect the shadow cabinet. So the leader can never be too far removed from the party base: Purnell would always need the support of someone like Cruddas and the leftist authenticity he brings.
richardj
March 6th, 2009 6:14pm Report this commentAnyone but Brown would help at the election, but who has the gumption to stand up and challenge?
TGF UKIP
March 6th, 2009 6:17pm Report this commentDidn't I read a couple of weeks ago that it was going to be a Harperson/Cruddas ticket? Cruddas must be having the time of his life as the annointed kingmaker.
But meanwhile "civic republican"! What a parody of themselves this lot are.
Jupiter
March 6th, 2009 6:21pm Report this commentNo comments on any threads today - where is everybody?
Ray
March 6th, 2009 6:33pm Report this commentIt sounds about as credible as the Clarke-Redwood Tory leadership ticket of 1997.
Prodicus
March 6th, 2009 6:54pm Report this commentCruddas is worth £500 to me if he gets the leadership which he well might, because like soooo many others, Purnell is Brown-stained.
Mitch
March 6th, 2009 7:59pm Report this commentA gerbil in a gimp suit would keep balls out.
Verity
March 7th, 2009 1:13am Report this commentJupiter, Peter is shivering sick with the flu. He has resiled from moderating from the moment.
tom t
March 7th, 2009 7:03am Report this commentCruddas sent his son to cardinal vaughn school in kensington. Can't take this pretend-prole seriously.
Liz Brown
March 7th, 2009 11:03am Report this commentThey are all tarred with the same brusg - ie being inGovt now. I feel sickened by the whole damn lot
John
March 7th, 2009 10:39pm Report this commentNo way, he'd be with Harman not him.
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