Alan Johnson answers your questions

Deputy Leadership candidate Alan Johnson answers questions that you've submitted through the Labour Party website - labour.org.uk.
Questions answered:

1. What would be your greatest strength in supporting Gordon as Leader?

2. I was wondering what your opinion was on the availability of cheap social housing for those at the lower end of income and whether the current priorities system is fair to everybody or just the select few?

3. What does the Party need to do in the South of England to reverse the position in the recent local elections where a lot of ground was lost to the Tories?

4. Did you support the decision to go to war in Iraq and how would you help the people of Iraq find peace?

5. What initiatives will you be taking to rebuild public trust in the Labour Party and also build up the membership which has decreased?

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Labour
• deputy
• leadership
• Alan
• Johnson
• labourvision

[MikdeLyon]

It's not a question of back to "old labour", New labour was nothing but a marketing device to reassure middle England.But over the last 5 years,our party has drifted so far rightwards,that one nation Tory's are to the left of us.I don't want the 80's again,but I would like to think we are a social democratic,left of centre party.Else we are in danger of being like the whigs became. Power for powers sake and we all know what happened to the whigs.

[NickisPlight]

"You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time"

[ListenEar]

You would do a better job if you had Tony Blair & his accomplices sent to the Hague (or Iraq) to stand trial for the slaughter of over 650,000 innocent people in Iraq, Afghanistan; Over 4 Million refugees.

Supporting Terrorism.. Israeli Occupation & slaughter of Innocent Palestinians & Lebanese..

[MikdeLyon]

Alan I think you are a good operator.However I never hear you speak about egalitarianism,the environment,progressive taxation,redistribution of wealth and oportunity,before john cruddas bought it up,social housing,in fact none of the things that bought me into "The Labour Party"

[shroomery11]

Because ot would cost them sweet sweet money

[palinlondon]

He's one of the higher profile candidates and gives thoughtful and interesting answers but I wonder if it will be enough to win over enough of his colleagues.

[palinlondon]

Interesting to see and hear Alan Johnson talk. Quite impressive.

[BenL26]

That would be a huge waste of resources: Heathrow has excellent transport and infastructure connections and is the most important international hub airport in the world. The environmental and economic damage of effectively transporting such a large airport 50 miles east would be huge and was ruled out by the 2003 White Paper on Aviation.

[douglasmacadam64]

One thing AJ has going for him is that he comes across as more down-to-earth than Gordon. That's good really, ultimately when unpopular decisions need to be made (for example - what other ideas does anyone have for meeting the UK's energy demand), it's good to have a deputy who can interact well with the grass roots of the party.

[theanswerman342]

Sensible ideas on social housing and key seats strategy Alan. Interesting to hear what you think straight from the horse's mouth. I'm not sure you're my first choice for deputy but I'm sure you'll do well if you win.