I would welcome a debate on whether AWS works in terms of attracting women voters and whether the downside of restricting local parties' freedom to select candidates is worth it.  And I can't believe that the presence of women selected by AWS has made any difference to Labour's policy record or priorities in Government.

There was a 2004 Electoral Commission report which said that in seats represented by a woman MP turnout by women voters was 4% higher (which it said was modest but statistically significant).  The Fawcett Society, and others since then, seized on this to claim that turnout was higher where there were women candidates which is of course a different thing altogether.  In fact more than half of constituencies in 2005 had one or more female candidates from one of the main parties, whereas the the Electoral Commission was only talking about the one in five that ended up with a woman MP.

Nor of course does this evidence on turnout answer the question of whether voters (male or female) are more likely to vote for women candidates.  That is very hard to demonstrate one way or the other.  

I can't help thinking that every time we impose a candidate on party members, or restrict their freedom to choose, we alienate another chunk of our activist base, and we can't afford to do that. 

You couldn't make it up. http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardianpolitics/story/0,,2084946,00.html

 

<h1>Call for inquiry into leftwing leadership fight</h1>

Patrick Wintour and Will Woodward
Tuesday May 22, 2007
The Guardian

Recriminations are growing over the way Michael Meacher lost the chance to go forward as candidate of the left to challenge Gordon Brown for the Labour leadership, evidence seen by the Guardian shows. Mr Meacher, the former environment minister, stepped aside to allow John McDonnell to be the standard bearer for the left, only for his rival to fail to garner enough support to make it on to the ballot paper.

 

With questions growing about the failed campaign, two MPs originally claimed by Mr McDonnell to be supporters have denied ever nominating him. Papers seen by the Guardian show that the McDonnell camp had claimed the support of Jon Trickett, Labour MP for Hemsworth.

But Mr Trickett said yesterday: "I nominated Gordon Brown for the leadership and never nominated anyone else." If Mr Trickett's name had not appeared as a supporter of Mr McDonnell at an initial meeting between the two camps, Mr Meacher would have had one more nomination than Mr McDonnell, and would have gone forward as the candidate of the left.

Mr Meacher has written to Peter Watt, Labour's general secretary, to ask him to investigate how the error occurred. Mr Watt may refuse to intervene on the grounds that the deal between Mr McDonnell and Mr Meacher was a private matter. Last week it was disclosed that Mr McDonnell's camp had claimed the support of Bradford West MP Marsha Singh. Mr Singh then insisted that he had only nominated Mr Meacher, and was adamant that he had never signed any nomination paper in support of Mr McDonnell.

At the first meeting of the two camps last week, it was agreed that that the two men had 22 nominations each. The two camps reconvened last Monday, by which time Mr McDonnell had apparently secured a decisive 24-21 lead.

A spokesman for Mr McDonnell's campaign said: "I don't know anything about that [Trickett]. The process was agreed and completely accepted by both campaigns and the two sets of supporters.

"There was no dispute over the fact that John was the candidate who had the majority of support. Our feeling is that people are trying to create some mischief."

I was looking forward to a Leadership election so that I could vote for Gordon.  I feel I have been denied this by the failure of the left to support a candidate who could even get on the ballot paper.  Who can I complain to?

Today (Thursday 26 April) six shortlisted candidates will face members of the Bethnal Green and Bow Labour Party who will choose their Labour Party Candidate. They are Lutfur Rahman, Rupa Huq, Shiria Khatun, John Biggs, Rushanara Ali and Helal Abbas.

After the hustings today, members will vote on their choice on Saturday (28 April),