Harman wins deputy leader contest (UK Labour party)

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: BBC

Harriet Harman is the new deputy leader of the Labour Party, after a seven-week contest to replace John Prescott.

The justice minister saw off competition from five other MPs to win the ballot of Labour Party members, union members, MPs and MEPs.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6234692.stm

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Hazel Blears eliminated after the 1st round; Peter Hain after the second.
Hillary Benn was eliminated after the third round; Jon Cruddas after the 4th round; Alan Johnson lost in the 5th round, when it was just the 2 left.

Very close in the last round - she got 50.43% of the vote.

That shows the importance of filling out all your choices in instant runoff voting, people.

[Greeby]

1. As I said in the other thread

GACK :puke: :puke: :puke:

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Other thread? I couldn't see one (n/t)

[LeftishBrit]

3. Well, it could have been worse - it could have been Hazel Blears!

All the major candidates were Blairites; Harman isn't the worst. At least she said, if way too late, that the war was a mistake, and that she wouldn't have voted for it if she'd known there were no WMD. Mind you, a lot of us knew it was wrong from the beginning; but at least she isn't quite as "yap, yap, the Poodle Pack Leader is right on everything!" as a few of the others.

[T_i_B]

4. Just had a quick butchers at the Labour blogosphere

Labour Bloggers are not happy about this (well it's their party I suppose)

http://britishbullshitfoundation.blogspot.com/2007/06/harriet-harman-is-new-deputy-leader.html

http://kerroncross.blogspot.com/2007/06/you-are-joking-right.html

http://grimmerupnorth.blogspot.com/2007/06/no-dpm-job-for-harman.html

http://lukeakehurst.blogspot.com/2007/06/ooops.html

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. And Chicken Yoghurt:

Speaking of which, watching the newly elected Harriet Harman reversing away from her campaign pitches like a getaway driver in a dead end would be comedy gold if only it didn’t make the gorge rise.

Harman on Newsnight, May 29, on Iraq:

Clearly it was a mistake, it was made in good faith, but with a new leadership I think we have to acknowledge the bitterness and anger that there has been over Iraq and that we were wrong.

“I am not trying to wriggle out of my responsibility. I just think if you are looking forward and you want to rebuild public trust and confidence, you have got to admit when you got it wrong.

This morning on Radio 4 (RealPlayer required, forward about ten minutes in):

Edward Stourton: You said the war was clearly a mistake and you said the Government should apologise and admit quote we were wrong unquote.

Harriet Harman: Well, I didn’t actually say those two things you said.

She didn’t say those two thing, all right? Here’s video (forward to 13 minutes) of her not saying them, capisce?

http://www.chickyog.net/2007/06/25/a-new-day-has-dawned-has-it-not/

though Chicken Yoghurt admittedly isn't a 'Labour blogger' - more liberal left in a general sense.

[T_i_B]

6. Chicken Yoghurt is certainly Independent Left.

I would have replied with posts from blogs other Labour bloggers such as Mars Hill and Paul Linford but instead, the most interesting thing I've found is that Tory boy Iain Dale seems to have Harriet Harman down as a very easy target for his blog.

http://iaindale.blogspot.com/2007/06/lets-start-harriet-watch.html