Just a few days (Thursday lunchtime) to go before the close of nominations for the Labour Party leadership coronation election.

Those of you have visited the Socialist Republic of Hebden Bridge Trades Club, will be familiar with left-winger John McDonnell when he visited the Stubbing Wharfe pub a couple of months ago (When I say familiar I  mean you may have heard of him).

Classic quotes of that night’s “public” meeting include:

“John Rhodes, Chair of the Hebden Bridge Labour Party … gave a very effective speech (later described by Mike Wood MP as “brilliant”) where he pointed how, after 10 years of a Labour Government, poverty and inequality had increased greatly.”

“Mike Wood said, “I want my party back - if there is still a party left,” pointing out that membership had halved and the party was nearly bankrupt, being £20-£30 million in the red. He even wondered if the destruction of the Labour Party was “by design” ”

(source www.hebdenbridge.co.uk)

He needs another 18 nominations from a party which has increased poverty and inequality and is nearly bankrupt.

Accompanying whispers of splits in the local Hebden Bridge Labour Party, Labour’s Calder Valley MP, Chris McCafferty will not be one of the MPs back John McSomeone.

Its the start of a new Calderdale council and the first thing on the minds of the Labour Party is “Shall we get into bed with the Tories again?”

The one night stand of 2006 seems to have developed into a longterm affair with the Labour backing the Tories -

1. into cabinet;
2. on the budget;
3. in a motion of no confidence over library cuts.

Will the sordid affair last into this year?

We will know soon.

One out of two ain’t bad for the Hebden Bridge Labour Party prediction for Luddendenfoot Ward:

TWO VOTES!!!

After two weeks of rest and rumination, it has finally sunk in - TWO VOTES!!!

The scores on the doors for Luddendenfoot Ward after two recounts are:

• John Beacroft-Mitchell (Liberal Democrat) - 1065
• James Fearon (Labour) - 611
• John Gregory (BNP) - 426
• Richard Marshall (Tory) - 1067

Credit due to the Calderdale’s vote counters - Three counts and all numbers remained the same.

Richard - We’ll be watching you like a hawk