Labour Leadership latest: Super Friday

AS PREDICTED, the forty Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs) are coming into sharp focus this weekend as they meet to discuss whether or not to endorse a candidate for the Labour leadership. It all feels a bit like American primaries, with no votes actually being cast in the real election but rather a CLP’s endorsement having a direct bearing in demonstrating candidate power and appeal.

Bearing in mind the deadline for supporting nominations will be midday on Thursday 22nd October, it is no surprise that many CLPs are meeting tonight to discuss whether or not to back anyone. Tonight is pretty much the equivalent of Super Tuesday of this election. A Super Friday maybe, and one which could well be more super for some candidates than others.

When we reflected on the CLP contest a few days ago, we posed the following questions:

Firstly, will the three CLPs back their own local candidates? Secondly, will CLPs follow the leads of AMs and MPs in endorsing the same preferred candidates? Thirdly, who will get the most CLPs to endorse them? And fourthly, of course, how significant will the geographical spread of endorsements be?

Early answers show Huw Lewis performing well against these criteria. He has been endorsed by Clwyd West, Torfaen and now has just picked up his own seat of Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney with a reportedly unanimous vote. But it hasn’t all been in one direction. Edwina Hart’s camp has confirmed their victory in Swansea East though, where local MP Sian James was backing Lewis. Heard nothing from camp Carwyn yet though.

But it’s early yet in a long night. Other seats looking to potentially endorse a candidate tonight (they don’t have to) are Alyn and Deeside, Cardiff South and Penarth, Rhondda and Ogmore. The AMs for first three are backing Carwyn – indeed, Leighton Andrews from Rhondda is Carwyn’s campaign manager and local MP Chris Bryant has also come out in support; while Ogmore’s Janice Gregory is a key figure in the Edwina campaign. So the way their constituencies respond will be interesting to watch.

One rule is already emerging: the winner tweets first. So who’s going to tell us if a CLP decides to back nobody?