Cruddas's deputy leadership challenge was based on the precepts contained in a pamphlet called 'Fit for purpose: A programme for Labour Party renewal', co-authored with journalist John Harris and funded by the pressure group Compass.
Cruddas won a Compass membership poll in March 2007, gaining 53% of first preference votes among the deputy leadership candidates.
In terms of his relative position within the Labour Party, newspapers have described Cruddas as "left wing"; however, he has also been described as "modernising centre-left", and more recently has become associated with the socially conservative Blue Labour tendency and has formed a political partnership with James Purnell.
He described himself as "mistaken" over his decision to vote for British participation in the 2003 invasion of Iraq and has criticised his party's record on immigration, saying that "we had too many people coming too fast", and that "immigration has been used as a 21st century incomes policy, and protections in terms of the labour market have not been substantial enough."

After speculation that Cruddas, a Catholic, was in favour of restricting abortion, he re-affirmed his pro-choice position.
In an interview concerning Cruddas' faith, he stated "in our family the political heroes weren't Gaitskell or Bevan.
They were the Kennedys because they were Irish, there was Óscar Romero because liberation theology was quite a big thing, and Pope John.
So I joined the Labour Party, and my brother joined the Carmelites.
The Labour Party always seemed to me to be a rational, natural element within some of those things we were brought up to believe in.
It was as simple as that.
My family was part of the Diaspora, they were all over the world, and again that returned to certain issues of solidarity.
So there was always that seamless thing between faith and political agency, and union activity as well, forged out of the politics of Irish immigration".

The Times Guide to the House of Commons describes him as "a well-liked and well-respected left winger who took on the BNP and won".

Jon Cruddas was one of 36 Labour MPs to nominate Jeremy Corbyn as a candidate in the Labour leadership election of 2015.
However, he later supported Owen Smith in the failed attempt to replace Corbyn in the 2016 Labour Party (UK) leadership election.

He is a member of Labour Friends of Israel.
Cruddas's deputy leadership challenge was based on the precepts contained in a pamphlet called 'Fit for purpose: A programme for Labour Party renewal', co-authored with journalist John Harris and funded by the pressure group Compass. Cruddas won a Compass membership poll in March 2007, gaining 53% of first preference votes among the deputy leadership candidates. In terms of his relative position within the Labour Party, newspapers have described Cruddas as "left wing"; however, he has also been described as "modernising centre-left", and more recently has become associated with the socially conservative Blue Labour tendency and has formed a political partnership with James Purnell. He described himself as "mistaken" over his decision to vote for British participation in the 2003 invasion of Iraq and has criticised his party's record on immigration, saying that "we had too many people coming too fast", and that "immigration has been used as a 21st century incomes policy, and protections in terms of the labour market have not been substantial enough."
After speculation that Cruddas, a Catholic, was in favour of restricting abortion, he re-affirmed his pro-choice position. In an interview concerning Cruddas' faith, he stated "in our family the political heroes weren't Gaitskell or Bevan. They were the Kennedys because they were Irish, there was Óscar Romero because liberation theology was quite a big thing, and Pope John. So I joined the Labour Party, and my brother joined the Carmelites. The Labour Party always seemed to me to be a rational, natural element within some of those things we were brought up to believe in. It was as simple as that. My family was part of the Diaspora, they were all over the world, and again that returned to certain issues of solidarity. So there was always that seamless thing between faith and political agency, and union activity as well, forged out of the politics of Irish immigration".
The Times Guide to the House of Commons describes him as "a well-liked and well-respected left winger who took on the BNP and won".
Jon Cruddas was one of 36 Labour MPs to nominate Jeremy Corbyn as a candidate in the Labour leadership election of 2015. However, he later supported Owen Smith in the failed attempt to replace Corbyn in the 2016 Labour Party (UK) leadership election.
He is a member of Labour Friends of Israel.
Jon Cruddas