Michael Hugh Meacher (born November 4 1939) is a British Labour party politician, and Member of Parliament (MP) for Oldham West and Royton. On February 22 2007 he declared that he would be standing for the Labour Leadership, challenging Gordon Brown and John McDonnell. On May 14, however, after talks with John McDonnell, he announced he would stand aside in order to back McDonnell as the "candidate of the left".