I am pleased that Hilary Benn is a serious contender for the deputy leadership. Although everyone bangs on about his father Tony Benn all the time, I have always had more time for the quieter Hilary.Although the race to succeed John Prescott appears to be a crowded field, in reality none of the declared candidates have got the backing of 44 Labour MPs required to run for the deputy leader.
Jon Cruddas announced himself as a left wing candidate at party conference. He might get the backing of 44 socialist MPs, who might also throw away their votes in the leadership by supporting John McDonnell against big Gordon Broon.
Harriet Harman, bless her, is also a candidate. She thinks that Labour needs a female deputy leader, which I think is a bit defeatist - Labour needs a female leader. In any case, much as I love Harriet I don't see her as leadership material. She couldn't even handle Social Security - she lasted one year as a cabinet minister. She is a good lawyer, good enough to perhaps be Lord Chancellor. Bung her in the House of Lords!
The next four years are going to be the most difficult Labour have faced since the 1970s, because holding onto power is much more tricky than being in opposition, no matter how depressing not being in power might be.
It is certain that Brown will succeed as PM, probably elected in time for the party spring conference. His first PR disaster will be Labour meltdown in Scottish and Welsh elections. He is going to need a visible, super-loyal deputy who can rally the party in and out of parliament.
One of the great skills of John Prescott was his ability to reach out to ordinary people and talk like a human. Put simply, people like him.
Hilary Benn does have a good way with people and he and his family are loved in the Labour party. Although only in Parliament since 1999, and only in a minor cabinet post, all that lack of exposure to running (and of course buggering up) a major department could work in his favour.
As Alan Johnson is discovering, having a large and vital department to run can start to hurt your chances of the top jobs. Johnson was a favourite for the deputy job among the bookies and Westminster watchers - until his U turn over forcing faith schools to accept a quota of non-believers.
The only serious rival to Benn is Peter Hain. Miliband has ruled himself out - no doubt got his eye on the leadership. Jack Straw? Not after the veil fiasco. Tessa? Lovely women and quite a competent minister - imagine how well Tessa could have done the job Blair gave to that Ruth Kelly person - but I can't see her being deputy.
Hain, Jowell, Straw, Harman. All these faces should be gone by the next election. They are old New Labour.
Johnson might well come back as a strong candidate. I do hope so, because the idea of Gordon Brown and any of the above old faces trying to present a 'new' image to the electorate will fail to shine in the shadow of Cameron.
Everyone on the Tory front bench seems new. Brown will be committing electoral suicide unless he gets rid of most of the 50somethings in his cabinet and starts from scratch.
Also I don't want Peter Hain to win. His big orange face upsets me.
