Soley issues 'keep me' plea

Clive Soley: Does not want to be a lightning conductor

On the day nominations opened in the annual contest to become chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party, the current holder issued a plea to his fellow MPs not to use him as a "lightning conductor" for resentment at Tony Blair.

Clive Soley MP is expected to be facing a tough challenge to keep hold of what is seen as the job of Labour MPs' shop steward.

But the Ealing, Acton & Shepherd's Bush MP has faced heavy criticism for being too close to the prime minister and more concerned with representing the government to its backbenchers rather than the other way round.

The poll, in which all Labour MPs may vote, takes place next week. Speaking as nominations opened on Wednesday, Mr Soley sought to play the party unity card.

He told the political website ePolitix.com: "What I'm saying to people is 'If you think I've not been doing a good job then vote for somebody else'.

"If they think I've done an okay job then back me but don't use this as an opportunity for sending the government a message."

He added: "I'm not keen on being used as a lightning conductor and I don't think it's appropriate."

But in remarks set to infuriate some members of the parliamentary electorate he is seeking to woo, he implied that failure to back him was tantamount to endangering Labour's chances of re-election.

"When the Tory Party under John Major got into a position with the 1922 committee where someone was on TV saying 'The government isn't listening to me' they quickly found themselves in opposition," he said.

Four challengers

Mr Soley is expected to be challenged for the post by former Foreign Office minister Tony Lloyd and Thurrock MP Andrew Mackinlay.

Mr Mackinlay has consistently criticised Mr Blair's "presidential" style of leadership and is running on a platform of increasing the weight given to backbenchers' opinions.

Former consumer affairs minister Nigel Griffiths, an ally of Chancellor Gordon Brown, is understood to be considering making a bid for the position.

Mr Soley's critics say the he has become too much of a Blairite loyalist.

Among the incidents raised against him are failing to effectively pass on backbenchers' warnings over the 75p-a-week rise in the state pension, and becoming too heavily involved in last month's election of the new Commons speaker and urging Labour MPs to back Conservative Sir George Young for the job.

Also cited is his role in the saga of Labour's selection of its London mayoral candidate earlier this year. Mr Soley was on the party shortlisting panel that interviewed Ken Livingstone - who eventually became mayor - and sparked a two-day "will-they, won't-they" farce over whether it would bar him from seeking the Labour nomination.

'I think I'll win...'

Mr Soley said he believed he would eventually emerge from the race the winner: "I think I'm going to win but I don't think it is going to be easy."

Veteran left-winger Dennis Skinner has declined to stand despite a number of MPs urging him to do so.

And speculation that Frank Dobson, Labour's losing candidate for London mayor, was preparing to stand have proved unfounded.

Nominations close on 20 November; voting takes place the following day.