Another brick in the wall for Huw

Nia Griffith MP uses Huw Lewis' new wall to endorse her candidate

“I’ve listened carefully to the debate and I have listened to what my local party members are saying – it is clear to me that Huw Lewis is the best candidate to return Labour to winning ways, right across Wales. Huw has the drive, the intelligence and crucially the ideas to lead Welsh Labour in a new direction that chimes with what voters are looking for. I’ve made my mind up based on what I’ve seen and heard from the campaign, Huw is the one setting the agenda and reaching out to people.”

This brings the total of open MP supporters for Huw to five. Nia offered her support via an innovative Endorser’s Wall which went live this morning.

Including MPs, AMs, Council Group leaders and, “most importantly” according to the Lewis campaign, rank and file Labour Party members, the wall is one of the most striking and engaging things about the web presence of any of the three leadership campaigns.

Speaking about the endorsements from the party membership, Huw said: “This campaign was always going to be about reaching out to the party – giving our members something to believe in again and asking them for their ideas and getting them more involved. It is great to see that having an impact right across Wales. I always said that this contest was not just about the great and the good, it is about the membership becoming re-engaged and inspiring the party for battle. The website, the interactive manifesto and our e-campaign more generally has got people really talking and given new ways for people to get involved in Welsh politics.”

Amongst those featured are a number of former workers from Welsh Labour HQ and also a fair few former Special Advisers. Although some of these faces aren’t immediately recognisable to many outside the Labour Party, within it they carry considerable weight and respect.

The layout of the wall is also interesting. It would have been perhaps more egalitarian to make the wall alphabetical. But to have done so would have meant new endorsements wouldn’t have stood out. And, based on the time and effort that has gone into this wall, we’d expect more bricks to be added throughout the next six weeks.