Coventry South East has won strong support among labour movement activists in the city. But the big question is, will this be enough to win him the seat?
The highly-respected former Jeremy Corbyn's adoption meeting for alleged Militant links and now standing as a Labour Inde pendent - has won public backing from key shop stewards and even some regional union officials.
But Labour is now heavily pushing the line 'a vote for NefConservative candidate, and increasingiy finding an eche among ordinary workers desperate to get shot of the Tories nationally.
Nellist's stated canvass returns put him on 44 per cent, with 23 per cent going to both official Labour candidate lim Cunningham and Tory Martine Hyams. Supporters who claim to have seen Labour's returns say they give Nellist 31 per cent, Labour 25per percent and the Tories 22 per cent.
senior local trade unionists report the official vote hardening markedly last fortnight, making the seat effec tively a three-way marginal.
While Militant patently constitutes the backbone of the Nellist campaign, it encompasses many people not previously active politically. Local Morning Star supporters are also much in evidence.
Cunningham minders are pulling the Walton stunt of photographing Nellist supporters, with those identified as abour party members certain to face expulsion proceedings.
Next he was out on the streets with Jeremy Corbyn, visiting pensionors and campaigning against the opt-out of Birmingham Maternity Hospital. The choice of supporters is no accident.
John Witon has been one of the leading left-wingers in the West Mid. lands for years. In 1990 he spoke out at the Labour conference against the witch hunt of Socialist Organiser. And his agent, Pauline Purnell, was on the let slate for the Women's section of the Labour Executive last year.