Could tonight’s debate have any impact?

With John McDonnell and Michael Meacher due to resume their discussions tomorrow on which one should seek to be the left-wing nominee for the Labour leadership they are joining Gordon Brown tonight for what could be the first and last debate of the campaign.

With nominations due to close on Thursday a key question tonight could be which one will end up in a better position. So although Gordon is there the real attention is likely to be on the performances of the two left-wingers.

On the face of it McDonnell appears the better presenter but he does have a lot of baggage like supportive statements in the past for the Provisional IRA. Meacher’s big problem with the left was his vote for the Iraq War and he has been portrayed as a 9/11 conspiracy theorist.

The main betting interest is that if one is able to get on the ballot then his odds will surely tighten. McDonnell has moved sharply today to 99/1 with Meacher now at 139/1.

Mike Smithson