The shortest MP sees her price shorten from 50/1 to 7/1 in just two hours

The Salford MP and Labour chair who shares with Lib Dem, Sarah Teather, the honour of being Britain’s shortest MP, Hazel Blears, has seen the price on her becoming Deputy Labour leader shorten from 50/1 to 7/1 during the morning.

This follows a report in today’s Sun quoting someone described as “a friend of the Chancellor”: “Gordon will not be backing any one candidate in the race. However, we think it’s good if there is a strong female candidate. It is also true that he holds Hazel in high regard for her work in the party in recent months.”

Certainly there’s been a been a lot of pressure for the number two position to be held by a woman but Hazel has long been seen as a loyal Blairite. Maybe, just maybe, Gordon is allowing these statements to be made in the hope of assuaging this part of the party.

I’m sticking with my selection, the back-bencher, John Cruddas who says he wants the deputy leader job but not become Deputy PM.

Mike Smithson