Keighley MP Ann Cryer has decided to retire from parliament at the next election.

Erith and Thamesmead MP John Austin has annunced he will stand down at next GE.

Cannock Chase MP Tony Wright announced he will stand down at next GE because of health fears.

Dear Comrades

I am proud of my comrades in Unison and Unite, who have stood together and stood up for a better wage.  They deserve better pay, as well as many other workers.  The fact is that the Government have got this wrong.  Increases of about 5-6% would not affect the economy, in fact it would give people more money to spend or save, so helping.  It is fuel, articial pricing and company mismangement causing inflation.  Keep fighting!  You have my backing!!

John Wiseman
Unite rep
PPC Westmorland and Lonsdale

Wolverhampton North East 'Open'

Shabana Mahmood has won Birmingham Ladywood selection contest yesterday.

Dear all

Labour and Trade Union Progressive Activists (LTUPA)

After seeing the centre-left and left within the Labour party and trade union movement share so much in common, I thought it was a good idea to bring these groups together in one forum.  Within this group I am promoting the LRC, Compass and the co-op party as progressive groups together with the trade union lefts eg Unite left (Amicus Unity Gazette and T&GWU broad left) and Unison left. We have managed to get some international interest from the youth wing of the NDP in canada and the Democrat National Committee.  This is ahead of  Unite's merger with the USW (One of North America's most powerful unions).

You may ask why now?  There are several reasons for this,

1) The state of the Labour Party - we need to engage more with the people that do all of the work on the ground, people such as John Cruddas and John McDonnell have lead the way on this.  Their main theatres of influence, Compass and the LRC can influence policy, I feel the green input and fairtrade of the co-op party is essential if any centre-left/left forum is to work.

2) International Socialism - this is essential when dealing with globalisation and International Labour

3) As the progressive wing of the labour party we need to influence policy and the only way to do this is to share ideas eg Temporary workers bill

4) Share ideas on social justice and the future of the trade unionists

I call on all of you to unite and be brave unlike some of our backbenchers and lets influence the direction of our party, the Labour party!!

To find out more I have launched a facebook which already has a couple of hundred supporters.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=14169689521

Yours fraternally


John Wiseman

South Derbyshire shortlist drawn up tonight.

Finchley and Golders Green MP Rudi Vis has announced he will stand down at next GE. 

Another MP announces he won't fight the next general election

Sunderland MP Chris Mullin has announced his intentions to retire at next GE.

Gwyenth Dunwoody's daughter, Tamsin, has been selected tonight to be the Labour candidate in the upcoming byelection.

NEC Selection process has started!

In this week's New Statesman, I argue that all minority shortlists would be a step backwards.

An alternative approach would seek to tackle barriers which candidates face across class, race and gender. Please share ideas about what that might mean in practice.

Apparently Karl Turner has been selected in Hull East. No further details of the result yet.

Chuka Umunna, employment lawyer, CLP vice-chair and editor of TMP has this afternoon been selected by Streatham members as the candidate in the next General Election, taking over from the retiring Keith Hill MP.

Unison official Lillian Greenwood has won tonight Nottingham South selection.