Proposed Rule Change

The CLPD have reacted to John McDonnell's unpopularity amongst fellow MPs by calling for the nominations threshold to be reduced from 12.5% of the PLP to 7.5% (26, geddit?). I'd like to go one further with my own proposed rule change - abolish the threshold completely and bring in simple self-nomination, but with a criteria that any MP who has voted against the Government in the course of the current Parliament would be barred from running for Leader or Deputy.

That would rule out every single candidate:

Gordon Brown: House Of Lords Composition
John McDonnell: 80 rebellions
Harriet Harman: Off-Road Vehicles (Registration), House Of Lords Composition
Alan Johnson: Smoke-Free Premises: Exemptions, Animal Welfare Docking of Dogs' Tails, House Of Lords Composition
Hilary Benn: House Of Lords Composition
Jon Cruddas: 13 rebellions
Peter Hain: House Of Lords Composition
Hazel Blears: Animal Welfare Docking of Dogs' Tails, House Of Lords Bicameral Parliament, House Of Lords Composition

But, of course, the voting on House Of Lords Composition was deliberately set as a free vote to test the popularity of different proportions of elected and appointed members. So you can't count those particular votes.

Disregarding House Of Lords Composition leaves the candidates as follows, under my eligibility criteria:

Gordon Brown: Eligible
John McDonnell: Ineligible
Harriet Harman: Ineligible
Alan Johnson: Ineligible
Hilary Benn: Eligible
Jon Cruddas: Ineligible
Peter Hain: Eligible
Hazel Blears: Ineligible

So it's Gordon for Leader, and a run-off between Hilary and Peter for Deputy Leader.

Hang on... that can't be right. I'm confused. Where did I go wrong? Linda... Linda!