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Several Labour MSPs have indicated their interest in succeeding Wendy Alexander as leader of the party in Scotland.
Writing in a Sunday newspaper, former health minister Andy Kerr said he was determined to stand.
Glasgow MSP Charlie Gordon also said he was keen to enter the contest and was gauging his level of support.
It is widely expected another MSP, Iain Gray, will officially put his name forward later this week.
Margaret Curran MSP had previously been tipped to stand for the leadership, but this is thought to be less likely following her defeat at the hands of the SNP in the Glasgow East by-election.
Making mistakes
Nominations for the post of leader of the Labour Party in Scotland open on Monday.
Writing in the Sunday Herald newspaper, Mr Kerr described the loss of Glasgow East as "our worst by-election defeat in recent history" but insisted it had made him "more determined than ever to stand for Labour's leadership and meet the challenge of the nationalists and the Tories head on."
Mr Gordon resigned earlier this year as transport spokesman after admitting to making mistakes over a donation to Ms Alexander's leadership campaign.
The ensuing row over the donation led to Ms Alexander resigning as party leader after the Scottish Parliament's standards committee recommended MSPs vote to ban her from parliament for one day after she failed to declare donations on her MSP register of interests.
But Mr Gordon. the MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, told the Sunday Herald he wanted to put the affair behind him and "renew our leadership and renew our party." _________________ Visit the Our Scotland Blog at http://our-scotland.blogspot.com/
They are not vying "for the post of leader of the Labour Party in Scotland"! There is no such thing. They are contesting the leadership of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament. Nothing else. _________________ "My instinct is to agree with your opinion of his verse, but I've never so much as glanced at it." - agentmancuso
Well, well. It's fun, really, because when I was wee, with luck my parents would take me to watch the circus, and now I think I will have this fun again.
And what's Andy Kerr's sudden notion that he must be
Quote:
... "more determined than ever to stand for Labour's leadership and meet the challenge of the nationalists ...
Oh! And here was me thinking that the spin line was that it was a mere blip, a protest vote, that could have gone to anyone, and that the fact the the vote did not go to any of the other parties standing was just some some weird inexplicable cosmic accident.
And Charlie Gordon? He must have some important friends in the "Labour" party if he thinks he can do that.
Cathy Jamieson? Ah yes, now just who was that Labour mole?
Ah, no matter, but it will be fun to observe the games.
yes, there would be the 'whiff of sleaze' about it if charlie gordon can muster 6 nomee signatures from his fellow MSPs before the dust has even settled on the Wendy Alexander's downfall.
The newspapers are not tipping this person but I think David Whitton comes across on screen as fairly sincere. He is not a screaming banshee like Margaret Curran, jamieson or pauline mcneill but more of a level-headed individual. I'm not sure who would nominate him but his most obvious quality was his experience working for a previous First Minister... and the Labour FM who was held in the highest regard of the ones they have had so far. I'm not sure who his constituency would be within the party... maybe all the people that talk affectionately about the good old days when 'Donald' was in charge. Maybe w alexander, j mcconnell, and that big wummin from dumbarton would back him. no doubt someone will post a shopping list of reasons why he shouldnt get it.... but i dont think it would be as bad as some of the above candidates. _________________
Jamieson is the most grounded contestant and less of a career/ex cooncilor/party hack then the rest. She has also had to stand in as leader three times now and handled it well.
As holebender pointed out, this is not an election for party leader but rather for the leader of the labour group of MSPs in Holyrood.
One thing labour MSPs have to consider no, is who is less likely to be a pompous git whose bullshit comes back to haunt them. On that basis Cathy would be a certainty.
They are not vying "for the post of leader of the Labour Party in Scotland"! There is no such thing. They are contesting the leadership of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament. Nothing else.
That's pedantry really. Yes, that's what the position is called officially, but it is very often simply referred to as the leadership of Scottish Labour, or Labour in Scotland. _________________ A very merry Christmas to one and all.
Jamieson is the most grounded contestant and less of a career/ex cooncilor/party hack then the rest. She has also had to stand in as leader three times now and handled it well.
Wasn't the old rumour around the Labour Party that Jamieson wasn't... well... the sharpest knife in the drawer? _________________ A very merry Christmas to one and all.
They are not vying "for the post of leader of the Labour Party in Scotland"! There is no such thing. They are contesting the leadership of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament. Nothing else.
That's pedantry really. Yes, that's what the position is called officially, but it is very often simply referred to as the leadership of Scottish Labour, or Labour in Scotland.
Try telling that to Labour's Scottish MPs, councillors, or even party members. They all regard Gordon Brown as their leader, not the person in Holyrood. _________________ "My instinct is to agree with your opinion of his verse, but I've never so much as glanced at it." - agentmancuso
Jamieson is the most grounded contestant and less of a career/ex cooncilor/party hack then the rest. She has also had to stand in as leader three times now and handled it well.
Wasn't the old rumour around the Labour Party that Jamieson wasn't... well... the sharpest knife in the drawer?
I've met her a couple of times and can confirm that she's not, but the fact that she knows it and generally thinks before she opens her mouth makes her much better leader material than Wendy Alexander. I aslo expect she'll be a more popular leader within the party than Wendy and a 'safe pair of hands', which is exactly what they need right now. _________________ "Gordon Brown mistook a glut of cheap money and a global bull market for his own administrative genius. In so doing, he wrecked the economy. Had the Prime Minister been running a company, instead of a country, he would be facing an inquiry into allegations of criminal negligence." - Jeff Randal
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Joined: 17 Sep 2005 Posts: 3289
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:59 pm Post subject:
Holebender wrote:
They are not vying "for the post of leader of the Labour Party in Scotland"! There is no such thing. They are contesting the leadership of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament. Nothing else.
From an SNP point of view, I must favour Cathy Jamieson, who will not expand the party's support but contract it. She's a decent sort, I think, but she's sure to retreat into the past.
I do not trust Cathy Jamieson she was a hardliner as a minister of justice in Jack's Scottish Executive. Very loyal to her party (Labour in Scotland) if elected leader I would like to see if she can hold her nerve against Salmond over the long term. _________________ The legacy of a New Labour Government that had presided over two illegal wars, the largest ever gap between rich and poor, and fascists elected to the European Parliament.
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