Further to what James posted on John McDonnell, I have always thought that Gordon wanted a leftwing candidate to run. It provides him with the illusion of a contest and enables him to posture as the New Labour continuity contender. This line-up will give comfort to the Blairites who have rushed on to the Brown-wagon, and declared implausibly that they have aways believed that Gordon was a reformer. Beyond that, the contest will establish nothing and do nothing to avert Labour’s coming civil war.
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