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Labour’s rising star Alan Johnson makes his move for leadership
Paul Waugh and Joe Murphy7 May 2009
The first signs emerged today of a leadership bandwagon gaining momentum for Health Secretary Alan Johnson.
A poll showed him gaining ground on the day he appeared to set out his stall with a speech attacking David Cameron's Conservatives.
It came amid new claims that Labour MPs are recruiting names to call on Gordon Brown to resign if next months's local and European elections are as disastrous as feared.
Mr Johnson, a former postman and moderate trade unionist, has been widely tipped by MPs as one of the few figures with the appeal to reunite Labour for a general election if Mr Brown is forced to quit.
Today a PoliticsHome.com poll, released exclusively to the Evening Standard, found the Health Secretary's popularity with the public has surged in recent weeks and he is now second only to Justice Secretary Jack Straw as the voters' leadership choice.
Mr Straw is still ahead on 16 per cent but his rating is down three per cent since a similar poll in February.
Mr Johnson has risen by four points to 13 per cent over the same period, narrowing the gap between the pair from 10 per cent to three.
The biggest loser was Foreign Secretary David Miliband, whose relative absence from the headlines may have cost him support. Mr Miliband, who had been second choice among the voters, is now in third with eight per cent.
Labour Deputy Leader Harriet Harman, who took the unusual step of categorically ruling herself out from the running this weekend, has risen one point to six per cent. Schools Secretary Ed Balls remains unchanged on four per cent. No other member of the Cabinet gets beyond one per cent.
Mr Johnson had a further boost when the Labour-backing tabloid the Daily Mirror devoted a full page to an enthusiastic preview of his speech today, which accuses the Tories of planning to cut billions from public services.
Mr Johnson, 58, sent a strong signal that he was willing to stand for the leadership this week when he conceded there were "circumstances" in which he could run. He has previously said he did not think he was suited to the job of Prime Minister.
A popular and genial figure, he is credited with performing well during the swine flu crisis - avoiding public panic while taking tight precautions.
Labour's turmoil increased today with renewed claims of a plot to force out Mr Brown next month by getting MPs to sign a petition calling on him to stand down for the good of the party.
Former minister Charles Clarke angrily denied a claim that he could run as a stalking-horse challenger as "utterly false".
Labour fears it will lose control of its last four county councils in the 4 June elections, giving its worst local election performance since the Seventies. London MPs fear the election of far-Right BNP candidates as Euro MPs, which would allow the party to claim EU grants.
Former health secretary Alan Milburn warned Mr Brown in The Independent not to tackle the financial crisis with Leftist policies at the expense of domestic issues.
Derek Draper, the former aide involved in the email smears scandal, quit as editor of the party's LabourList blog.
PoliticsHome.com interviewed 1,122 adults on 5 and 6 May.
Alan Johnson
Health Secretary
Current threat: New bookies' favourite for leader, being talked up by MPs as a unity figure if Brown is ousted. Urging “courage and ambition” in a speech today — he'll need both.
Recent activity: He admitted at the weekend he could one day run for Labour leader — seen as a significant signal that he is available. His profile has been raised by having to handle the swine flu outbreak in Britain.
Quote: “It is now time to be more ambitious, not less.”
Danger rating: Growing
Alan Milburn
Former Health Secretary
Current threat: Urging Brown to embrace Blairite reforms, and to govern not by “monologue” but “dialogue”.
Recent activity: He is close to leading Blairite ex-ministers like Stephen Byers suspected by MPs of plotting against the PM.
Quote: “This is not, as some claim, a moment of Leftist politics.”
Danger rating: Medium
Harriet Harman
Commons Leader and Labour Party chair
Current threat: Suspected at No 10 of a “stealth campaign” to seize the leadership. Second favourite to win at the bookies and popular with grass roots.
Recent activity: Playing the loyalty card, she categorically ruled herself out of a contest this week and told anti-Brown grandees to shut up.
Quote: “I do not want to be Prime Minister.”
Danger rating: Low
Charles Clarke
Former Home Secretary
Current threat: Suggested by dissident ministers as a potential “stalking horse” candidate to run against Gordon Brown. Clarke dismisses the idea as “utterly false . . . an invention”.
Recent activity: High-profile critic of Gordon Brown's government. Said last week he felt “ashamed” to be a Labour MP.
Quote: “There have been things recently which made me feel ashamed to be a Labour MP.”
Danger rating: Very high
Reader views (51)
To a die-hard socialist, anyone who would even consider voting Conservative is "right wing" - and these days, that's a pretty broad brush they'll have to paint with! People comment here because they actually DO give a damn about the country, no matter which side of the political divide they stand on (unless David is suggesting that Val in Spain is a tory sympathizer?)
- Rogan, Irving, 01/06/2009 14:27
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Alan Johnson the man that sanctioned closure of A&E's all over the country, sure he will be very popular with the electorate not.
- David, London, 27/05/2009 15:58
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It amazes me how all these (usually right wing) ex-pats love to stir up trouble over here by their remarks. They have left the country so they have no business sticking their noses in, unless they have found the place they've fled to isn't so wonderful after all and they want to come back?
- Johnty, wgc uk, 23/05/2009 12:19
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All the BNP and UKIP need to do is keep quiet.Get england out of the eu,that will get these parties votes galore.
- John, benidorm,spain, 23/05/2009 06:23
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Why not just have a little election, that will solve everything.
- Pacifus, Newcastle Australia, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Johnson = Just Another Nu_labor Slime bag. SELL!
- James Macleod Ritchie, Oyster Bay Cove, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Wow....Johnson....zilch charisma, zilch personality, zilch achievements, zilch improvement in the NHS...they sure are desperate. Result....zilch.
- Ricky, Hackney, London, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Surely the people of England are not going to allow ANOTHER unelected Prime Minister if Johnson becomes leader of the Dead Sheep Party?
- Albert Hall, hove england, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Only a fool would put their name forward to become Labour leader this side of an election, as they would lead the party to defeat inside 12 months. At best, all they could do would be to limit the damage and the loss of seats. As for those who think the Tories will be different and better, that represents a triumph of naïve hope over bitter experience. No matter who you vote for, the government always gets in.
- Austen, London, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Austen: that was a classic: "... No matter who you vote for, the government always gets in." Joking apart, I think it's serious too, and the 'Party' system itself is now discredited. Here's hoping our conveniently 'unwritten' constitution evolves something better. Time for the Monarchy (OK, their shadowy advisers) to do some nudging. That is how history is made.
- Steve, London, England, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Johnson looks a bit my dad. And we don't trust him with the remote control...
- Nobby Clark, Perth, Scotland, 23/05/2009 05:23
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The Labour Party & the UK economy is like a hot air balloon with a massive hole in it. You can have spin, lies, slight of hands, try reinflate the balloon with more hot air (more leadership bid or in the BoE case printing money) however none of that will change the fundamental truth that ballon is going down & Labour Party & the UK economy is heading for a huge train crash which will take years to recover from
- Rupert, London, 23/05/2009 05:23
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I agree with Dave - if they do replace Brown, they need to call an election and quickly. It's not just Brown who has lost the country's confidence, it is the Labour party.
- Kevin T, Beckenham, Kent, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Go for Johnson, then. Only English people need apply. All non-English candidates in recent memory have failed: Steel, Owen, Kinnock, Smith...Brown. What does this say about the voters?
- Bloke, London, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Blimey - a postie for PM?
What next - a ship-steward as Deputy PM?
Is this what McBean-the-unelected meant when he said a government of all the talents?
- Lickyalips, Richmond, Surrey, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Postman-Pat standing SECOND behind Straw? May the good Lord help him!
Mind you, it'll be a shoe-in for Dave whenever bottler McMitty calls a General Election.
- Ted, London, 23/05/2009 05:23
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All that has happened recently shows what a master politician Blair was . He kindly let Brown have the leadership. As a captain of a ship he knew was sinking he relinquished his role to a lesser officer. No moral obligation to go down with the ship .
- Terry, Hennebont France, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Dave, Cumbria we elect GOVERNMENTS and NOT PRIME MINISTERS under our constitution. Just think how many P.M's the Tories had in the 1950's and how this exceeeds general elections.
Also, I dont remember Major rushing to the people for a mandate when Thatcher was ousted from Downing Street.
If Cameron keeps wasting his six questions on NOT asking questions on policy his number should be reduced to 4 with Vince Cable getting these questions.
But how can Cameron supply answers when he can even think of questions to ask!!!
As for Alan Johnson if Labour were to loose the next election then he would be the perfect leader of the opposition to represent the ordinary people of this country.
Labour needed someone like Tony Blair to win the 1997 election. With Cameron coming accross as TB Mark II the people will tire of this endless public school image and Johnson is ideal to counter this tiredness.
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 23/05/2009 05:23
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We might speed up this process if we eject Mr Brown ourselves:
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/please-go/
- Kalvis Jansons, Hitchin, Herts, 23/05/2009 05:23
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We will not accept another unelected PM.
There must be a general election first!
- Horace, London, UK, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Mr Port,
Tsar Gordinski hasn't bought Milliband D. a toy jet for nothing. These days he 'conveniently' seems to be regularly conspicularly absent from the heavy flak falling across his front bench chums at PMQs each Wednesday. Well away from any collateral damage!
Methinks we won't see him landing a serious Downing Street job for a very, very long time.
And with all those blue, blue British skies to fly over,
it'll be a generation or two before the red overalled Old Mother Harman desperately waves him back in!
- Dave, Cumbria, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Surely we have already come to the point when the odious New Liebour Party can't simply play pass-the-parcel with the PM'ship of our country to some aparatchik who happens to be marginally less revolting than the current incumbent? Being PM should not be in the gift of these numpties; salvage a final shred of self-respect and CALL AN ELECTION you ghastly bunch of lying losers.
- Johnny, Beijing, China, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Oh great, we're in for another Labour PM who is not elected.
I know, why not give the entire cabinet a go so that when they lose their seats at the next GE they can all get the massive former PM pension and join 'Baroness' Uddin on the gravy train - ain't socialsim grand?
- Undercover Elephant, London, 23/05/2009 05:23
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I do not want an ex-trade union leader who could not care less about other people apart from trade unionists (witness the strikes he led with the CWU)representing the country !!! World leaders take no notice of ill educated blue collar workers.
- Nick Holland, glasgow, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Interesting. When I worked for the Union of Communication of Workers about 20 years ago, Alan Johnson was an Assistant Secretary there, and the word amongst colleagues was, EVEN THEN, that he would one day be leader of the Labour Party.
- Yvonne, Doncaster, UK, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Until Nov 2008 Alan Johnson denied all NHS treatment to terminally ill patients who paid privately for expensive top-up drugs not available on the NHS. He put his ideology before the welfare of these patients and consequently forced some of them into penury. I don't recall him ever apologising for that nasty little policy.
- Dave, London, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Johnson- nice chap but very lightweight. More suited to delivering t5he post than leading and nursing the country back to good health. I only Vince Cable would join the Conser vative Party we would then have a a good chance of revival.
- Strongbow Sullivan, Paris,France, 23/05/2009 05:23
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ALAN JOHNSON COMING FROM THE POSTAL WORLD OF FINAL SALARY PENSIONS IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO KNOW WHAT HE THINKS OF THIS LABOUR GOVERNMENT FAILURE TO BOW TO THE FINDINGS OF THE PARLIAMENTARY OMBUDSMAN AND IMPLEMENT COMPENSATION TO EQUITABLE LIFE PENSIONERS. SO MUCH SO ONLY FOR THE FIFTH TIME SINCE 1965 HAS SHE BEEN FORCED TO ISSUE ANOTHER REPORT CALLED INJUSTICE UNREMEDIED.
LABOUR HAS CONSTANTLY ATTACKED PRIVATE PENSIONS, WONDER HOW ALAN JOHSTONE VOTED WHEN BROWN STOPPED PENSIONS FUNDS CLAIMING BACK THE TAX ON DIVIDENDS, INSTEAD INCREASING IT. THUS REDUCING EVERYY PENSION POT IN THE COUNTRY EXCEPT FINAL SALRY PUBLIC EMPLOYEES. CAN SOMEONE FIND OUT HOW HE VOTED, PERHAPS HE WOULD LIKE TO REPLY.
MY PENSION HAS GONE FROM £7500 TEN YEARS AGO TO UNDER £3000 NEXT YEAR INSTEAD OF GOING UP EVERY YEAR.
MIND YOU LIKE MANY GURKHAS WE ARE ALL SO OLD THERE WONT BE ANY PROBLEM SOON.
- Alan Green, Woodford Green, 23/05/2009 05:23
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er..."I dont remember Major rushing to the people for a mandate when Thatcher was ousted.." fine, but if you really believe that a second prime minister should emerge by acclamation, then you may as well dispense with the ballot box ! I'm sure that would suit Labour...
- The Horse, Dublin, Ireland, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Alan Johnson as a potential Prime Minister . . . How scary is that???
On the flip-side he obviously has both the personality and achievements record that earmarks him as Labour's ONLY viable candidate for the premiership of our government and country.
. . . And we think we've got it bad NOW?
- Fraser, Telford Park, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Judging by the state of the postal delivery service, the last thing this country needs is a former postman. What doesn't get lost in transit will either be delivered to the wrong adress, or be inpossibly late. So no change there.
- Lezli Taubler, London / UK, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Another PM not voted for for the position, better an election.
- Hugh, Middx, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Melvyn, Windebank: You are so typical of the Labour cancer that is destroying this country. It's never Labour's fault is it? You have to get on your bigoted, socialist high-horse and attack the Tories. The class-envy inspired vitriol exhibited by Labour and its supporters is absolutely disgusting. Labour's been in power for 12 years. Labour have destroyed Britain. It didn't start in America and it didn't start with the Tories. It is down to Labour (as per usual). For God's sake man get a back-bone!
- Invicta, Chatham, Kent, 23/05/2009 05:23
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errr guys calm down it's called a stalking horse...
- Amoreno, Luxembourg, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Melvyn Windebag, Canvey Island you say that you don't remember Major rushing to the people for a mandate when Thatcher was ousted from Downing Street; does this give you reason to think that because someone else has done it it should continue? These are playground rules being played out by the Government of our country and being supported by the likes of you. However, it would take brave Government indeed to change this and I admit it is unlikely.
It also seems that some of your other comments are at odds with each other...
Labour needed someone like Tony Blair to win the 1997 election. With Cameron coming accross as TB Mark II the people will tire of this endless public school image and Johnson is ideal to counter this tiredness...compared with...we elect GOVERNMENTS and NOT PRIME MINISTERS under our constitution.
I am not stating that anyone is particularly wrong in their support for either the leader or a particular polictical Party it's just that you seem to have based your argument from both sides of the fence to suit yourself.
- Carl, London, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Milliband where are you. Your party will need a new leader after the european elections next month.
Get ready Brown has had it.
- Mr S.Port, London, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Oh dear, dear, dear, dear must be true when they say "The truth hurts" judging from the comments my earlier POST received.
Make' me wonder if these posts are automatically generated from Tory Central Office or their supporters are just converted to Cybermen!!
Read carefully and you will see I have Johnson as Leader of the OPPOSITION as to whether he became leader before or after an election is academic as an election MUST be held by May next year. The Governments 5 year term will then expire.
The thing is the longer Labour holds on the more the Cameroons will be asked to lay out their agenda!!
There will come a time when the media will turn the spotlight on them to ask them what they will do?
With the release of the new Star Trek movie Gordon Broown has a Spock moment where he needs to decide whether he should step down as "The good of the many outweigh the good of the one."
Labour needs to make any Cameron majority as small as possible so when questions like Europe come up he has opposition on his side that is greater than his majority.
Of course Labour could still win with or without a new leader!! Given that Cameron is desparate for an election before the spotlight comes on!!
I reckon what happens will be decided at the party conferences.
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 23/05/2009 05:23
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There is one reason, and one reason only, why the lightweight Johnson is being touted as a possible leadership contender - he was educated at a comprehensive, and did not go to Oxbridge. Thus NuLab can say oh look, we are led by a man of the people. Well it might make a change from the Public school Blair and the grammar school Brown, however -
BRING IT ON! I would love to see Johnson as party leader, since both Cameron and Clegg would make mincement of him. As for what William Hague and Vince Cable would do to him...delicious!
- Liz, London,UK, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Melvyn Windebank, we elected a government led by a man who promised to serve a full term. He broke his promise (surprise, surprise) and stepped down only 2 years in. When Brown bottled the 2007 autumn election, he claimed he wanted time to set out his "vision" before going to the country. Well he's had 20 months to do it and I think we've got the picture. All Labour are really doing now is hanging on to power as long as they legally can.
- Kevin T, Beckenham, Kent, 23/05/2009 05:23
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We can speed up this process by forcing the dictator Gormless Clown to resign.
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/please-go/
- Dan H, Fontvieille,Monaco, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Who cares who ends up leading this
group of cheats their time in power is almost finished for the next decade or 3
- Mike, London England, 23/05/2009 05:23
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It doesnt matter who is in charge of Labour as they are dommed in the elections and they only have themselves to blame; Good riddance and may it be an very long time before they return, if ever!
- Nack Nack Paddy Mac, kilburn, London UK, 23/05/2009 05:23
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All the media should be pre-empting this latest and most outrageous Labour con, by frantically calling very loudly for an immediate General Election should this 2nd publicly unelected PM 'annointment' be attempted, well before it happens!
Like now!
It's barely 18 months since Crash Gordon's 'appointment' that promised change, whatever that meant.
Well bust certainly replaced boom, and all his manic Labour have given us was 'a little loose change'.
Time for a General Election!
No sign of Alan Johnson, I see, on the day that 'his' beloved NHS admit that they've been starving patients to death.
The Japanese used to torture frail POWs by placing food out of their reach, and watching them die in agony.
Hail ZaNuLabour!
The NHS [staff] may supposedly be safe under Labour, but the poor patient sure ain't!
- Dave, Cumbria, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Alan Im sure is a nice guy, but here is another example of a man like Gordion who has never run anything in his life. His only qualification is the promise of stealing others money in taxes and ginving it to others. Hard work now punishes you. 50% tax plus 17.5% vat plus all sorts of levies on fuel, drink etc probably pushes thetax for the entrepreneurs up to and over 70%. Habve these people gone mad? Who will stay around for such a rip off.
- Peter, Camberley UK, 23/05/2009 05:23
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The problem is not just that Gordon Brown is totally incompetent - most of the Cabinet are.
Talk about re-arranging the deckchairs on the Titanic.
Let's have a general election - Then we can decide who we want to lead us.
- Ian Gilbertson, Newcastle, 23/05/2009 05:23
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One would assume then that if Labour change leader again they will have to go to the country on the basis that they have broken their original 2005 election manifesto of Mr Blair serving 5 years ? They have already broken this once twice will not be acceptable!
- William, London, 23/05/2009 05:23
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J Bell, Nottm, UK
o make people pay for visits to their doctor, i hope you and your family dong get a serious injury, well i do if thats your thoughts
- Tony Houghton, merseyside, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Why bother having a deputy leader if she (Harperson) isn't next in line for the job?
Oh, yes, the answer has just dawned on me. I forgot about positive discrimination and courting the female vote.
- Eric Legge, Ongar, Essex, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Invicta: Well said old chap(ess?)! The problem with socialism is that is never has and never will lift the poor out of poverty, it can only drag everybody else into it.
John Major did go on to win a general election, which is one thing that will indelibly differentiate him from McBroon, if he makes it that far!
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster, 23/05/2009 05:23
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Attacking the Conservatives for planning to cut millions from public services? So what's labour gonna do? Borrow more and spend more? Taxes have more than doubled over the last 10 years; Spending has skyrocketed but what do we get for it? Little more than a bunch of self-serving, venal labour mps who spend out taxes on porno movies. Time to slash the number of quangos from the more than 1000, to halve the number of mps; to halve the subsidy we English pay to Brown's constituents; to cut welfare to scroungers; to make people pay for visits to their doctor; etc Let's get a government that is going to slash spending.
- J Bell, Nottm, UK, 23/05/2009 05:23
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J Bell, Nott'm: I agree with the thrust of your comment, but must point out that we already do pay to see our doctors. Well, at least those of us who pay tax do!
I'm sick and tired of the looney left claiming that a right leaning government would mean the end of "free" healthcare. The NHS is NOT free; it costs every taxpayer an enormous amount of money, whether they use it or not.
Don't get me wrong, I do beleive in the priciples of universal healthcare, free at the point of delivery, but only for essential treatment.
There are massive cuts in public spending that could be made without any noticeable detrimental effect on public services. Ditching ID cards and the (doomed to failure) NHS database would save over £20 billion for a start. No chance of control-freak NuLiebour changing tack on those projects, though, under Brown, Johnson or any of the other trough-snouting megalomaniacs of Soviet Labour.
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster, 23/05/2009 05:23
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