Plot to oust Gordon brown hosted at Hariot Harmans house

we learn today in the times that Hariot harmans house was used as the location for secret meetings with several other high ranked labour MP's before the genearl election to oust Gordon Brown before the election came around.

reading http://www.labourlist.org/plot-to-oust-brown-hatched-at-harmans-home

certain labou members should bear this in mind when defending her after she came under attack at the last PLP meeting where she was hammered for attacking Phil Woolas and making it impossible for him to return to the party even before a appeal had been heard to remove him as a MP.

I personally think Hariot Harman is a good MP and speaks very well but sometimes her actions can be a bit of a liability.

I dont know and havent heard too much of her and Ed milibands relationship but you always get the feeling she is up to something behind peoples backs as this times article highlights.

I just think we should be careful as labour members if you are one reading this to be careful before openly defending people like Hariot despite their great work. Trying to under mine the then PM is a serious thing. Lets not underestimate how serious that is and how destructive that could have been.

Their line was they didnt feel Gordon brown could win the next election. Well are they not making it twice as hard for him by trying to upset the apple cart ?

Just think its a bit wrong.

How much do newspapers really influence us ?

After reading over the weekend that David Milliband, one of the potential labour leaders has now gained the backing of the Times to add to his collection of the Observer and the Daily Mirror.

i would like to ask you does having the backing of a paper really matter that much. Ultimatly the voters decide- the Labour members in this situation. Would people vote for a particular party or polititian based on the support o a newspaper.

What similarities are there to a Union reccomending its members vote for a particular candidate. Should a newspaper even be allowed to endorse a candidate. Is it unfair to the other contenders.

During the last election one of Britains biggest newspapers the Sun chose to back the conservatives, although didnt actually win out right as much as they would dispute this i feel this did have a big influence and the story of them backing the tories was big at the time.

SO does it matter if a paper backs someone and if so, how much influence do the media and the papers in particular have over its readers these days ?