An interesting article penned by TMP contributor and former Labour deputy leadership candidate, Jon Cruddas MP (left), and the Chair of the Compass parliamentary group, Jon Trickett MP (below), has been published today in the New Statesman.

Cruddas, a backbencher, won plaudits for his successful deputy leadership campaign, which saw him win more votes amongst Labour Party members than any other candidate and beat three cabinet ministers to claim third place in the race. Increasingly influential Trickett led calls on the government to rethink the renewal of Trident and Britain’s nuclear deterrent, and also has done a lot of work pointing out the need for Labour to win back the 4.5 million voters (including many ethnic minorities) who have deserted the party since 1997. Both are respected in No. 10 and in the wider party.

In their piece, they argue that the Labour Party needs to change the way it operates and move away from the “machine politics” of times past, and they urge Gordon Brown to move in a more identifiably social democratic direction and away from Blairism. This has already started a debate on Labour supporting blogs regarding who should be appointed Labour’s next General Secretary.

To read the piece, click here.