Over on Compass Jon Cruddass is making what appears to me to be a statement of intent to challenge Brown form the left (The New Labour brand is now toxic argues Jon Cruddas MP ) . It certainly has the sweet old socialists excited. I have been trying to convey to them the tragic irrelevance of their dancing on a pin head. "I think of Compass as a strangely enthralling old Lady still dressed in the ...

I did try to like Compass , honest. I went to their conference even though Cruddas had just backed Brown on 42 days detention. I listened to his speech . It was a checklist of all the right things, but as Dave reported at the time, his actions don't quite match: Compass leaders like Jon Cruddas combine the ability to deliver speeches demanding that Trident be scrapped, council houses be built...

Interesting interview by Paul Bickley from Third Way (Christian comment on culture) Few MPs have a bigger reputation for political passion and integrity than Dr Jon Cruddas. Third Way tracked him down to his office in the old Scotland Yard.  You have often spoken about your family. How did it shape you? I was one of five. My mother’s

Jon Cruddas, the Left-wing backbencher, last night ruled himself out of the contest to succeed Gordon Brown as leader of the Labour Party.

Pollsters Populus have conducted in-depth polling on six likely contenders to succeed Brown as leader.  Voters examined Ed Balls, James Purnell, David Miliband, Harriet Harman, Jon Cruddas and Alan Johnson. Cruddas was the surprise package and according to the pollsters the race, whenever it happens, should be between Cruddas versus Purnell. There are some cracking quotes featured in the arti...

Rumours have reached me of a falling out between Jon Cruddas MP, Compass' leading voice in Parliament, and Neal Lawson, the organisation's guru. Jon Cruddas, whatever his sometimes wrong policy calls, is a Labour Party man through-and-through in the best sense, and apparently takes exception to the wholesale embrace of Lib/Lab broad tent politics in Neal's latest article in the Guardian, which was...

Dear Compass Supporter Today I’m writing to urge you to book your place early at the Compass No Turning Back conference on Saturday 13 of June in London: Furthermore I wanted you to know that Rt Hon Harriet Harman QC MP has now confirmed to speak. Others include: Neal Lawson, Compass; Jon Cruddas MP; Prof

Jon Cruddas tells Hélène Mulholland that the Labour party has lost the emotional connection with the British people

Would have to treat this Cruddas-Purnell, or rather Purnell-Cruddas fantasy with he pinch of salt. You can say what you want about Derek Draper, and I did, but for Blairy briefing to be finding its way onto "the leading centre left blog in Europe" (sick) so soon after the that Borwnie was busted is quite peculiar. Tom Miller, who sadly believes in Jon Cruddas and the disappointing Compass project ...

David Semple has rather brutally tackled Dr Jon Cruddas's failure to live up to his billing and also visited and commented. It is self-evident that Cruddas, and probably Compass as a whole, is at the left of the project, rather than at the left of the party or the movement. And that it probably would have to be someone between himself and John Maccy D, who is genuinely to the left of almost e...