LRC Endorsed Candidates

In this general election the Labour Representation Committee are endorsing 29 Labour candidates. These aren't necessarily members of the LRC, but are those "who are (or would become) members of the Socialist Campaign Group of MPs and those who backed (or would have backed) John McDonnell’s leadership bid in 2007." The LRC group of candidates are worth considering apart from the rest of the far left for two reasons. First despite the LRC being regarded as "mental" by some in the Labour party, not all of them are that left-wing - Diane Abbott and Michael Meacher immediately spring to mind. Second, because they're official Labour candidates their vote goes well beyond the traditional far left ghetto of one or two per cent.

So here's the list. It uses the same format as the previous one, except a * indicates where the candidate or a retiring Labour MP is the incumbent. Where applicable the current majority size is also listed.

Ashton-under-Lyne - David Heyes* (2005, 21,211 votes (57.4%); 2001, 22,340 (62.5%); maj vs Tories 13,952)
Batley and Spen - Mike Wood* (2005, 17,974 votes (45.8%); 2001, 19,224 votes (49.9%); maj vs Tories 5,788)
Blyth Valley - Ronnie Campbell* (2005, 19,659 votes (55%); 2001, 20,627 votes (59.7%); maj vs LibDems 8,527)
Bolsover - Dennis Skinner* (2005, 25,217 votes (65.2%); 2001, 26,249 votes (68.6%); maj vs LibDems 18,437)
Bury St Edmunds - Kevin Hind (2005, 14,402 (27.4%); 2001, 19,347 votes (38.5%))
Clwyd West - Donna Hutton (2005, 12,776 votes (35.9%); 2001, 13,426 votes (38.8%))
Dundee East - Katrina Murray (2005, 14,235 votes (36.2%); 2001, 14,635 votes (45.2%))
Gower - Martin Caton* (2005, 16,786 votes (42.5%); 2001, 17,676 votes (47.3%); maj vs Tories 6,703)
Great Grimsby - Austin Mitchell* (2005, 15,512 votes (47.1%); 2001, 19,118 (57.9%); maj vs Tories 7,654)
Hackney North and Stoke Newington - Diane Abbott* (2005, 14,268 votes (48.6%); 2001, 18,081 votes (61%); maj vs LibDems 7,427)
Halifax - Linda Riordan* (2005, 16,579 votes (41.8%); 2001, 19,800 votes (49%); maj vs Tories 3,417)
Hayes and Harlington - John McDonnell* (2005, 19,009 votes (58.7%); 2001, 21,279 votes (65.7%); maj vs Tories 10,847)
Isle of Wight - Mark Chiverton (2005, 11,484 votes (17.2%); 2001, 9,676 votes (15.2%))
Islington North - Jeremy Corbyn* (2005, 16,118 votes (51.2%); 2001, 18,699 votes (61.9%); maj vs LibDems 6,716)
Kettering - Phil Sawford (2005, 22,100 votes (39.7%); 2001, 24,034 votes (44.7%))
Leyton and Wanstead - John Cryer* (2005, 15,234 votes (45.8%); 2001, 19,558 votes (58%); maj vs LibDems 6,857)
Llanelli - Nia Griffith* (2005, 16,592 votes (46.9%); 2001, 17,586 votes (48.6%); maj vs Plaid 7,234)
Luton North - Kelvin Hopkins* (2005, 19,062 votes (48.7%); 2001, 22,187 votes (56.7%); maj vs Tories 6,487)
Midlothian - David Hamilton* (2005, 17,153 votes (45.5%); 2001, 15,145 votes (52.7%); maj vs LibDems 7,265)
Newport West - Paul Flynn* (2005, 16,021 votes (44.8%); 2001, 18,489 votes (52.&%); maj vs Tories 5,458)
Oldham West and Royton - Michael Meacher* (2005, 18,452 votes (49.1%); 2001, 20,441 votes (51.2%); maj vs Tories 10,454)
North Ayrshire and Arran - Katy Clark* (2005, 19,417 votes (43.9%); maj vs Tories 11,296)
North West Hampshire - Sarah Evans (2005, 10,594 votes (20.7%); 2001, 12,365 votes (25.4%))
Pendle - Gordon Prentice* (2005, 15,250 votes (37.1%); 2001, 17,729 votes (44.6%); maj vs Tories 2,180)
Rutland and Melton - John Morgan (2005, 12,307 votes (25%); 2001, 14,009 votes (29.8%))
Stroud - David Drew* (2005, 22,527 votes (39.6%); 2001, 25,685 votes (46.6%); maj vs Tories 350)
Tunbridge Wells - Gary Heather (2005, 8,736 votes (20.6%); 2001, 9,332 votes (23.2%))
Wansbeck - Ian Lavery* (2005, 20,315 votes (55.2%); 2001, 21,617 votes (57.8%); maj vs LibDems 10,581)
Yeovil - Lee Skevington (2005, 5,256 votes (10.5%); 2001, 7,077 votes (14.7%))

This list clearly shows people can be selected for parliamentary elections, despite being on the left - though it would be interesting to compare these numbers to 2005's roster of Left Labour candidates.