Since there are some comments sprinkled about here about the potential Labour leadership and a few names are now appearing, here are a few of my thoughts.

They need to get both the policies and the person right. To me, Rebecca Long-Bailey fails on both fronts. I cannot see her as naturally liked in Middlesbrough and Redcar: I have just returned from that area having spent New Year with relatives, and, no, I am afraid she is not a good fit.

Her policies are too Corbynista as well, as far as I can tell. I listened into a webcast during the election for the Labour 'door knockers' and during it McDonnell said where the free Internet idea came from. I think it very informative, so I repeat it here. They were in Colne Valley and talking with councils and local businessmen about attracting new businesses to the area. It seems they did not have too much difficulty getting potential new business to consider the area, but the Internet connection in the area is extremely poor. For a modern business that is a huge obstacle. Clearly, of course, Colne is not the only place with this issue. So they had - correctly - identified a block on new business. They had identified - correctly again - that Colne is by no means the only place where poor Internet might be blocking new business. They had also identified - correctly - that getting a fast Internet to these areas would be a great asset for getting the business they need.

And then they blew it by leaping to the idea that everyone, even with excellent Internet, should have it for free. It is, in my book, where ideology overrode actually finding a solution to the problem they had identified.

I think Rebecca Long-Bailey is too closely aligned to that way of thinking.

Keith Starmer, while not yet announced as a candidate, seems to be very popular amongst Labour members. I would find him very acceptable, and am convinced he would not make the Internet blunder. He may not be a natural fit with the Teesside area, but I don't think he would be an obstacle like Rebecca.

Jess Phillips probably wins hands down in the likeability stakes, and I think most voters would see her history of rejecting some the 'wilder Corbyn ideas' (as they are portrayed) as positive. Whether Labour members would is another matter, so I think she could well be rejected by the membership.