Johnson favoured over Miliband by PoliticsHome panel

Andrew Rawnsley, at PoliticsHome, has announced the results of one of their Phi100 surveys on the leadership of the Labour Party. He writes:

“Labour would have a better chance of winning the next election under a different leader. That’s the strong view of the PHI100, Britain’s most authoritative survey of inside and expert political opinion.

Asked which Labour politician would maximise the party’s chances of holding on to power, less than one six of the politically balanced panel selected Gordon Brown.

The most popular alternative Prime Minister is Alan Johnson. Despite his disavowals of interest in the job, nearly a third of the panel (thirty two per cent) reckon the Health Secretary, a former union leader thought to have an assured touch on the media, would be Labour’s best bet as leader.”

Johnson still has strong links to the unions (he was General Secretary of the Communication Workers’ Union in the 1990s – I believe the only union leader to support Blair over Clause IV), and has held four Cabinet posts, including his current posting at the DoH.

Having come so close to winning the Deputy Leadership, might Alan Johnson be the one to re-unite Labour if the PM really were to go?

UPDATE: At precisely the moment that I published this continuation thread, PoliticsHome announced the results of a second Phi100 survey which has over 90% of their panel saying they think the Tories will be the largest party after the next General Election, and 51% stating they think Cameron will enjoy an overall majority.

Morus

Coming up on PB:

“Is this where Hillary’s dream finally dies?” at 7pm