Slicing through Labor’s post-election euphoria is the stark fact that 39 of Prime Minister-elect Kevin Rudd’s parliamentary colleagues voted against him for the leadership less than 12 months ago. They wanted to keep Kim Beazley in the job so that he could have a third crack at the prime ministership.

In the caucus wash-up, Rudd received 49 votes to win by just 10.

The anti-Ruddsters were: Wayne Swan, Stephen Smith, Anthony Albanese, Stephen Conroy, Martin Ferguson, Jenny Macklin, Tanya Plibersek, Penny Wong, Craig Emerson, Chris Evans, Carmen Lawrence, Dick Adams, Sharon Bird, Mark Bishop, Carol Brown, Anna Burke, George Campbell, Kate Ellis, Steve Georganas, Jennie George, Michael Hatton, Chris Hayes, John Hogg, Annette Hurley, Steve Hutchins, Julia Irwin, Duncan Kerr, Catherine King, Joe Ludwig, Anne McEwen, Daryl Melham, John Murphy, Kerry O’Brien, Helen Polley, Bernie Ripoll, Glenn Sterle, Kim Wilkie, Dana Wortley and Kim Beazley.

Since then, some have made peace with Rudd and are assured of senior places in the first Cabinet to be announced at the end of this week eg. Treasurer Swan and Education and Training Minister Smith. Others have quit politics – Beazley and Carmen Lawrence – while some are so untalented and incompetent they won’t receive consideration at all.

That leaves a handful of recalcitrants who have shrugged off their previous distaste for Rudd and preference for Beazley. They can be easily identified as they crawl around the new prime minister and suck up to him in the most appalling fashion.