Whips secure Blair's modernisers
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.In the last shadow Cabinet poll before the General Election Labour MPs were under intense pressure from whips to cast all their 19 votes for the "leadership slate".
This consisted of the existing team, and included Jack Cunningham, the national heritage spokesman who missed out by seven votes last year, in place of Joan Lestor, who is retiring from Parliament.
Although Tony Blair secured the result he wanted, there was an unmistakable "Old Labour" signal in the overwhelming votes for the top three women, with "modernisers" like Jack Straw, Gordon Brown, Chris Smith, George Robertson and David Blunkett eclipsed by incumbents who also had the advantage of left-wing support.
The second place for Ann Taylor, shadow Leader of the House, was a particular rebuff to Mr Blair, as she had spoken out for a 26 per cent pay rise for MPs against his argument for restraint.
The high score for the top three was partly the result of the requirement for Labour MPs to vote for at least four women.
Mr Brown's position in the ranking was clearly affected by reaction to his plans to review child benefit for 16- to 18-year-olds.
Left-wingers accused whips of manipulating the 46 proxies, of which 36 were said to be supportive of the leadership. Following recent reforms, each MP is entitled to cast only one proxy ballot on behalf of an absent colleague - to stop the practice of whips accumulating bundles of blank proxies.
Most suspicious, in the eyes of supporters of left-wing challenger Ann Clwyd, was the decision by Blair critic George Galloway to hand his proxy vote to the deputy chief whip, Nick Brown.
One Westminster source said: "If the UN had sent observers from Malawi to Committee Room 12 they would have been forced to report back that this was not a free and fair election."
Clare Short, Labour's transport spokeswoman, last night stalked out of a television interview after she was challenged about the London Underground strike. Ms Short told the interviewer from BBC1's Newsroom South East: "I don't wish to talk about it, thank you."
When the interviewer protested that she was Labour's transport spokesperson she dropped her lapel microphone in front of the camera and walked off.
How the party cast its votes
Margaret Beckett 251
Ann Taylor 250
Clare Short 218
Gavin Strang 217
Robin Cook 214
Donald Dewar 212
Frank Dobson 211
Mo Mowlam 206
David Clark 205
Michael Meacher 205
Ron Davies 201
Jack Cunningham 190
Jack Straw 189
Gordon Brown 188
Chris Smith 188
George Robertson 182
David Blunkett 175
Tom Clarke 175
Harriet Harman 149
Not elected:
Ann Clwyd 94
Lynne Jones 66
Chris Mullin 66
Paul Flynn 61
Tony Banks 47
Dennis Canavan 42
Jeremy Corbyn 37
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments