John Denham to press change on Labour
Thursday, 08 May 2008 10:50
John Denham is the only Cabinet member from the south of England
Cabinet minister John Denham will outline his vision of Labour's way forward in southern England later today.
The innovation, universities and skills secretary's speech to the Fabian Society this evening comes in the wake of devastating local election results which saw Labour lose control of nine councils across England and Wales.
They included Reading, which slipped to no overall control, and Mr Denham knows well the importance of clinging on to such areas when it comes to the general election.
Mr Denham's speech on "southern discomfort" will dovetail with his consistent belief in the importance of maintaining the party's strong showing in traditionally Conservative southern England.
Meeting the "needs of the south" is a key part of his electoral strategy and Mr Denham is expected to use the speech to again push prime minister Gordon Brown not to forget the "southern Labour comfort" he and his fellow Labour MPs from the south of England have fostered since 1992.