This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northerner/2013/apr/09/labour-south-shields-byelection-miliband
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Wonks not welcome: who will succeed David Miliband in South Shields? | Wonks not welcome: who will succeed David Miliband in South Shields? |
| (6 months later) | |
| When David Miliband announced he was swapping the bracing air of South Shields for the buzz of New York last month, the constituency party were insistent that whoever replaced him had to be local. "This time, whoever is chosen should be somebody from the local community. That hasn't been the case in living memory," said John Anglin, the constituency party secretary. | When David Miliband announced he was swapping the bracing air of South Shields for the buzz of New York last month, the constituency party were insistent that whoever replaced him had to be local. "This time, whoever is chosen should be somebody from the local community. That hasn't been the case in living memory," said John Anglin, the constituency party secretary. |
| The other Miliband - the one in charge of the party - intoned that the shortlist should demonstrate Labour's commitment to "diversity". He told Mark Ferguson of Labour List that: | The other Miliband - the one in charge of the party - intoned that the shortlist should demonstrate Labour's commitment to "diversity". He told Mark Ferguson of Labour List that: |
| Local parties have to try and select people – I don't want to sound like I'm pulling up the drawbridge for former Special Advisers having been a Special Adviser, but diversity really matters. Not just gender diversity, but lets get people from a whole different range of backgrounds. | Local parties have to try and select people – I don't want to sound like I'm pulling up the drawbridge for former Special Advisers having been a Special Adviser, but diversity really matters. Not just gender diversity, but lets get people from a whole different range of backgrounds. |
| The shortlist has just been announced and it seems there are at least no wonks in contention. All four give the impression of having had experience in the real world, rather than just taking their first in PPE straight to the Number 10 Policy Unit. And all appear to have links to the north-east if not the constituency itself. | The shortlist has just been announced and it seems there are at least no wonks in contention. All four give the impression of having had experience in the real world, rather than just taking their first in PPE straight to the Number 10 Policy Unit. And all appear to have links to the north-east if not the constituency itself. |
| A notable omission is Iain Malcolm, leader of South Tyneside council. He told me on Tuesday that he spent all easter "agonising" over whether or not to stand. "And in the end I thought if I'm agonising this much then clearly in my heart I know it's not right for me at this time." | A notable omission is Iain Malcolm, leader of South Tyneside council. He told me on Tuesday that he spent all easter "agonising" over whether or not to stand. "And in the end I thought if I'm agonising this much then clearly in my heart I know it's not right for me at this time." |
| He said the Labour party national executive (NEC) deserved credit for realising that they couldn't shoehorn in a high-flyer from Westminster this time. "The NEC gave the local party time to breathe and choose a credible local candidate. At no time did they suggest that they wanted to parachute anyone in." Which is why a certain Euan Blair is nowhere to be seen, despite persistent rumours suggesting he was desperate to follow in his father's footsteps by winning a safe north-eastern seat. | He said the Labour party national executive (NEC) deserved credit for realising that they couldn't shoehorn in a high-flyer from Westminster this time. "The NEC gave the local party time to breathe and choose a credible local candidate. At no time did they suggest that they wanted to parachute anyone in." Which is why a certain Euan Blair is nowhere to be seen, despite persistent rumours suggesting he was desperate to follow in his father's footsteps by winning a safe north-eastern seat. |
| Here is the shortlist the NEC came up with after a round of interviews on Saturday, whittled down from around 50 applicants. Keith Vaz and Angela Eagle were among those on the selection panel, apparently. | Here is the shortlist the NEC came up with after a round of interviews on Saturday, whittled down from around 50 applicants. Keith Vaz and Angela Eagle were among those on the selection panel, apparently. |
| Lewis Atkinson was born in South Shields and brought up in South Tyneside, where he ran a small business to fund himself through university. Since then he's spent 8 years working in the local NHS – and ran as an independent candidate for the Labour Party NEC last year. | Lewis Atkinson was born in South Shields and brought up in South Tyneside, where he ran a small business to fund himself through university. Since then he's spent 8 years working in the local NHS – and ran as an independent candidate for the Labour Party NEC last year. |
| Emma Lewell-Buck is a social worker and local councillor for Primrose Ward. She's a graduate of Northumbria University (studying in Politics and Media Studies) and was first elected to South Tyneside Council in 2004. | Emma Lewell-Buck is a social worker and local councillor for Primrose Ward. She's a graduate of Northumbria University (studying in Politics and Media Studies) and was first elected to South Tyneside Council in 2004. |
| Mark Walsh has 20 years' experience in local government, including work as a welfare rights adviser and as a project manager overseeing various transformation projects. He's a local councillor in Horsley Hill Ward. | Mark Walsh has 20 years' experience in local government, including work as a welfare rights adviser and as a project manager overseeing various transformation projects. He's a local councillor in Horsley Hill Ward. |
| Paul Williams GP and public health doctor and GP Commissioner in Stockton. He's also a board member of ARC, Stockton Arts Centre. | Paul Williams GP and public health doctor and GP Commissioner in Stockton. He's also a board member of ARC, Stockton Arts Centre. |
| At first glance it seems Walsh is the overwhelming favourite. The Shields Gazette certainly seems to think so. Last week they ran a story saying he enjoyed "solid support" among Labour party councillors in South Tyneside, with one member noting approvingly that he had been a card carrying party member since the age of 15. The newspaper followed that up on Tuesday with a piece revealing that a particularly influential local union figure backed Walsh's candidacy. Dave Hopper, general secretary of the National Union of Miners in the north-east, described Walsh as the "right man for the job". | At first glance it seems Walsh is the overwhelming favourite. The Shields Gazette certainly seems to think so. Last week they ran a story saying he enjoyed "solid support" among Labour party councillors in South Tyneside, with one member noting approvingly that he had been a card carrying party member since the age of 15. The newspaper followed that up on Tuesday with a piece revealing that a particularly influential local union figure backed Walsh's candidacy. Dave Hopper, general secretary of the National Union of Miners in the north-east, described Walsh as the "right man for the job". |
| One local Labour figure said Walsh was a shoo-in because he was the only truly credible, truly local candidate. "Lewis might have been born in South Shields maternity hospital, but he lives in Jarrow and no one from Jarrow is going to get elected in South Shields. Emma isn't from round here [she lives in Jarrow too] and neither is the doctor." As the Independent noted last month, relations between the Jarrow and South Shields Labour parties have always been patchy, at best. | One local Labour figure said Walsh was a shoo-in because he was the only truly credible, truly local candidate. "Lewis might have been born in South Shields maternity hospital, but he lives in Jarrow and no one from Jarrow is going to get elected in South Shields. Emma isn't from round here [she lives in Jarrow too] and neither is the doctor." As the Independent noted last month, relations between the Jarrow and South Shields Labour parties have always been patchy, at best. |
| My insider continued: "The constituency is not looking for a superstar like David Miliband. It's looking for a solid, down-to-earth, working class constituency MP. And that's what they will get with Mark Walsh." | My insider continued: "The constituency is not looking for a superstar like David Miliband. It's looking for a solid, down-to-earth, working class constituency MP. And that's what they will get with Mark Walsh." |
| But according to Williams, arguably the wildcard on the list and the only one not in possession of a north-eastern accent, Walsh is not a dead cert to win. And yes, he would say that. But he told me on Tuesday that when canvassing, "80% of party members are saying they are going to decide on the night who to vote for. They are keeping an open mind." | But according to Williams, arguably the wildcard on the list and the only one not in possession of a north-eastern accent, Walsh is not a dead cert to win. And yes, he would say that. But he told me on Tuesday that when canvassing, "80% of party members are saying they are going to decide on the night who to vote for. They are keeping an open mind." |
| Williams said he wanted to become Labour's only GP MP and help Andy Burnham fight the government's NHS reforms. Though keen to emphasise that he did his medical training in Newcastle and has lived in the region for 20 years, he said the party would choose the right candidate for the job, "not just the one who happened to be born nearest to the centre of the constituency." He insisted he was committed to South Shields - despite having tried and failed to be selected to fight the 2015 general election for Labour in Norwich last year. | Williams said he wanted to become Labour's only GP MP and help Andy Burnham fight the government's NHS reforms. Though keen to emphasise that he did his medical training in Newcastle and has lived in the region for 20 years, he said the party would choose the right candidate for the job, "not just the one who happened to be born nearest to the centre of the constituency." He insisted he was committed to South Shields - despite having tried and failed to be selected to fight the 2015 general election for Labour in Norwich last year. |
| Lewell-Buck, the only woman on the list, has also tried her luck elsewhere before. Last year she made it on to the all-woman shortlist to contest Carlisle for Labour in the next general election. | Lewell-Buck, the only woman on the list, has also tried her luck elsewhere before. Last year she made it on to the all-woman shortlist to contest Carlisle for Labour in the next general election. |
| Atkinson seems to be the wonkiest of the candidates, having kept a blog looking at Barack Obama's use of social media in his re-election campaign last year. He is also a "pie lover", according to his Twitter handle. | Atkinson seems to be the wonkiest of the candidates, having kept a blog looking at Barack Obama's use of social media in his re-election campaign last year. He is also a "pie lover", according to his Twitter handle. |
| Neither Atkinson, Lewell-Buck or Walsh had returned my calls/tweets/emails at the time we pressed "publish", so I can't tell you more about their campaigns at the moment. But in 24 hours, the South Shields Labour party will make their decision on who should succeed Miliband. Who should they choose? Was Labour List's Mark Ferguson right to complain that the "ridiculously short turnaround" meant that only those "in the know" would put themselves forward? Have Labour denied themselves a really interesting candidate because of their need to choose someone local? | Neither Atkinson, Lewell-Buck or Walsh had returned my calls/tweets/emails at the time we pressed "publish", so I can't tell you more about their campaigns at the moment. But in 24 hours, the South Shields Labour party will make their decision on who should succeed Miliband. Who should they choose? Was Labour List's Mark Ferguson right to complain that the "ridiculously short turnaround" meant that only those "in the know" would put themselves forward? Have Labour denied themselves a really interesting candidate because of their need to choose someone local? |
| . | . |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |