Sunday, September 21, 2008

The Telegraph Top 100 Left Wingers List

The Telegraph starts its serialisation of the Top 100 Lefties List today, compiled by Labour historian Brian Brivati and myself. Today's installment runs from 100 down to 76.

76. (NEW) PAUL KENNY
77. (NEW) KEITH VAZ
78. (-56) HILARY BENN
79. (-54) JOHN KAMPFNER
80. (-17) PAT McFADDEN
81. (-11) PETER MANDELSON
82. (-10) SUNNY HUNDAL
83. (NEW) IEUEAN WYN JONES
84. (-3) CHRIS McLAUGHLIN
85. (-10) SIMON WOOLLEY
86. (NEW) RAY COLLINS
87. (NEW) NEIL KINNOCK
88. (NEW) PHIL COLLINS
89. (-82) KEN LIVINGSTONE
90. (NEW) MARTIN McGUINNESS
91. (NEW) DEREK DRAPER
92. (NEW) LORD DARZI
93. (-23) NICK COHEN
94. (-16) STEVE RICHARDS
95. (NEW) ROBERT PHILPOTT
96. (-1) MICHAEL FOOT
97. (NEW) SALMA YACOUB
98. (NEW) JAG SINGH
99. (NEW) TOM HARRIS
100. (NEW) CHARLES CLARKE

16 comments:

Victor, NW Kent said...

I am pleased to report that I have never heard of 12 of this latest list.

Anonymous said...

Not completely happy about John Kampfner being a left winger! That ain't accurate.

Iain Dale said...

Ridiculous. Of course he's on the left. You are not seriously suggesting he is on the right, are you?

peter said...

I thought Michael Foot died about 15 years ago! - How can he possibly be considered higher than Charles Clarke - who's always stirring up trouble; or Tom Harris, who actually has 100 confirmed readers of his blog (according to google reader), and actually has government responsibility for motorway service stations and the like...

Events dear boy, events said...

Could someone please explain to me what is the point of these lists? What do they achieve? Am I missing something? We need a debate.

Iain Dale said...

Howard, change the record. It's strange that a national newspaper can see the value of them but you can't. They're a bit of fun during conference week, to rovide a bit of heated debate. Because frankly, that's the last thing you get at party conferences nowadays!

Anonymous said...

NEIL KINNOCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


He is obviously in charge of Energy Policy as it is reported that the UK's lights will go out in 5 years time!

Events dear boy, events said...

Iain, what a ridiculous comment. So what if a national newspaper see the value of them. I wanted to start a debate and all you do is throw insults. So here is my view.

They are just subjective claptrap.

Iain Dale said...

Howard, wow, what an insight - Top 100 List is subjective. Of course it's subjective. That's the whole point. It's the opinion of two people - Brian Brivati and me. Of course everyone else will disagree. That's the fun of it. I do sometimes wonder why people get so het up by things like this.

Anonymous said...

Hello Iain. I thought you thought Nick Cohen is no longer of the Left.

Iain Dale said...

Maybe he will be on the Right wing list too!

Scary Biscuits said...

It'll be interesting to see where they put the Barclay Brothers (owners of the Labourgraph) on the list!

Anonymous said...

Lets not forget the Miliband Brothers, seems like they have the perfect credentials and background to be Labour Regime leader.
-----------------------------
"Ralph Miliband, Diary entry (1940)

The Englishman is a rabid nationalist. They are perhaps the most nationalist people in the world ... When you hear the English talk of this war you sometimes almost want them to lose it to show them how things are. They have the greatest contempt for the continent in general and for the French in particular. They didn't like the French before the defeat: (1) because they don't have order, (2) because they talk too much, (3) because they change their ministers every month, etc. Since the defeat, they have the greatest contempt for the French Army ... England first. This slogan is taken for granted by the English people as a whole. To lose their empire would be the worst possible humiliation".

Anonymous said...

Phil Collins the singer or Phil Collins the No.10 speechwriter?

Neither is on the left...

Yak40 said...

Good shopping list.

Will the tumbrils be filled starting from the top or bottom ?

Maybe take every other one for starters ?

Where's my knitting needles...

James Dowden said...

Shame you can't spell Ieuan.