Peter Hain is running for the deputy leadership, his campaign manager is the Battersea MP, Martin Linton. So it is more than disingenuous of him to criticise Alan Johnson, who has yet to declare openly if he is going for the leadership or the deputy-leadership. Hain is in the Indy today:
“In my view I don’t think anyone else could or should beat Gordon.” Hain also has some trenchant criticism of Mr Johnson for staking his claim to the deputy leadership while the political corpse of the present incumbent is still warm.
“This question arose at a time when John Prescott was at his very lowest and I thought it very disloyal to be trying to grab his job. At the time when others were declaring we had no idea of how far off a contest would be. I felt it highly premature and disloyal.”
How exactly is Hain doing any different?
Notice also how Hain goes on bended knee before Brown, Hain is trying to emphasise to the Brownites the threat of Alan Johnson running for leader. Hain craves Brown’s endorsement.
