Jon Lansman has electrified the race for the job of Labour’s general secretary by announcing that he will apply for the position. The role is elected by Labour’s 39-strong ruling national executive committee, making it an early test of where power lies within the Labour left.
What are his chances of getting it? He is thus far up against only one other candidate, Unite’s Jennie Formby, widely known to be the preferred candidate of the leader’s office. I’ve been speaking to various members of the NEC and other movers and shakers, and while his chances are not great, they are not non-existent either. But the more likely outcome is not that he will win, but that he could decisively tip the balance of the race against Formby.
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