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| SLG |
How long for McConnell?Will McConnell survive for any length of time?I think he'll last a few months till the new Parliament settles in. People are saying that there might be no one else that wants the job, but it's politics and there are always plenty who are looking for more power. The Herald is talking about Charlie Gordon being up for it. |
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| Reluctant Hero |
I am still fearful that the Lib Dems will prop him up as First Minister.
However, the most likely outcome will be that he will go within the year. What about Wendy Alexander as next leader 
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| SLG |
Wendy would be top candidate for a lot of folk - incluuding Brown. She also managed to increase her majority which was a good result on the night. She has very young twins which might put her off taking on the job though. | ||||
| George |
My opinion is that she would be a national liability for Labour, like her brother completely charmless......so yes, it would be great. |
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| azzuri |
He'll be gone in less than a year regardless IMO. | ||||
| Aventinian |
I'm quite fond of the Alexanders actually, well, as fond as I can be of Labour politicians.
Apparently Wendy doesn't have a significant following within the SPLP to mount a leadership challenge though. |
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| Reluctant Hero |
What a shame! I think Andy Kerr would be in with a shout, but don't know how this would go down with New Labour HQ down in London. Would he be too closely associated with McConnell as well? |
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| George |
Apparently from The Sunday Herald:
What a spitefull bitter little prick, lacking dignity to the end. |
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| skip |
she has a significant following in the 'Face like Daffy Duck chewing a Wasp' wing of the party |
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| Aventinian |
Salmond is not first minister yet, and he still has work to do before that happens. Anyway, it's hardly dignified of Salmond to be leaking that sort of information to the press either. |
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| SLG |
So if a member of the press asks him if he has received a call of congratulations from Jack yet, you expect him to say "no comment"? |
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| Aventinian |
Interesting question. I suppose it'd be to him to explain that private correspondence was his own concern. I suppose if someone directly asked the question though, then yes he'd probably seem less obnoxious for stating it. |
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| SLG |
My thoughts also. I would assume that any number of journalists would have asked the direct question. |
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| wisnaeme |
'Brown will want to keep Alexander for he does as he's telt as does Reid.
Brown will also wish to distance himself from failure so he will turn on Joke because he didn't do as he was telt.Furthermore, regardless of who did what it wasn't Brown's fault and it's Labour's policy not admit they were in the wrong. Joke's history and the sooner he's out of sight, the sooner he's out of mind. Or as B Liar says," Lets move on". London gets what London demands,you see as they hold the purse-strings and the relevant power. It doesn't matter that it was London labour that attempted to run the show,It is of no relevance that London Labour overseen the ballot box fiasco, it's Joke's patch and he'll have to go. Brown will not want to associate himself with failure and humiliation. Bye Jack. |
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| Claymore |
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8...NF7I&mode=related&search=
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| Reluctant Hero |
Looks like McConnell won't be lasting much longer
http://www.sundayherald.com/news/...dnews/display.var.1394829.0.0.php John Reid tipped for the Scottish parliament? I think he is of higher calibre than most Labour MSPs, but I think Salmond would be equal to him. |
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| Rinty |
I think it will happen very soon.
One obvious contender for the post that isnt being mentioned is Cathy Jamieson. I suspect this is because she is so close to Jack and doesnt want to appear to be after his job. Jamieson would take the support of the left of the party with her and I think she will emerge after Jacks steps down. I think he will step down following the frist NEC meeting after Samond being elected first minster. |
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| SouthernJock |
Its a good possability, but he will need to be elected as an MSP first. So does that mean Jack McConnell falls on his sword and resiign as MSP as well? or will some other Labour MSP be persuaded to do the decent thing? either way, I cant see the electorate swallowing it, and with a straight election without distractions, there might (a big might) be a possible scenario for SNP to win it and deny John Reid's day! |
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| SouthernJock |
I think your analysis of Jack is spot on! I thought he looked are right spare at the swearing in at Holyrood, parading around like some peacock, as if he had won and there was no change, the tartan I believe is for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2014, but not sure why Jack was wearing it (unfortunately I think the colours a bit 'manic airline steward' type). Lots of denial was evident with Jack and his shrunken band of minstrels sitting in the government seats. Think we should cut him some slack though (for the time being) and see what happens after the First Minister elections, which should go Alex Salmonds way. If Jack still refuses to publicly congratulate Alex, then he certainly will come accross to the people at large as a spitefull little prick, nobody likes a bad looser. Just one other thought, it will be interesting to see who does vote for Firt minister and who doesnt or abstains. Its not a secret ballot as the deatils are published later |
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| SLG |
I don't think there is any chance of McConnell resigning as an MSP. It's looking like he will even try and hang on as leader as long as possible. Jack will be not much over 50 by the time of the next election, so I wouldn't be surprised if he wants to continue into the next parliament. Of course if he does stand having spent this parliament as a low profile back bench MSP, I would think the SNP would be in with a shout of winning his seat. |
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| wisnaeme |
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Nope,can't see Joke resigning as an MSP either. As I've said before Reid will do as he's telt. Hasn't the intellect to do other,though I could be surprised.If it is within the realms of possibility for Reid to be parashuted in as a Labour MSP incarnate then a labour MSP in a very safe seat will have to be persuaded to give way,perhaps by the Brown jobbie's offer of a lucrative job down south in quango land shortly after the deed is done. Fraught with danger that is and how safe is safe even for a labour MSP elect in the labour mafiosa heartland of Lanarkshire? More to the point; How safe would safe be for Labour to retain Airdrie and Shotts for a parashuted in wanna be Labour MP. Would the loss of that constituency be ample reward for Reid wanna be heid shed of labour in oor parly. Intellect somewhat lacking perhaps but yer man has a built in radar for political survival and Brown will have to be mighty persuasive in offering the Dr of something chappie a position in something or other after it all going pearshaped. I can't see it happening, if only for the dawning realisation that Labour can no longer be reliant on scare tatics and arm twisting and that is what the good doctor knows best and he is a bit long in the tooth to learn new tricks. Resorting to those previously tried and tested ways will be something Reid will have great difficulty refraining from and if true to previous form will be unable to help himself from doing it with disasterous results for what's left of Labour support in Scotland. Gonna let Reid loose,Brown? Surely he wouldn't be that stupid, would he? |
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| FALSYDE |
Why the question. Does anyone care?
There seems to be a jostling for the title 'le petite merde" between McConnell and Alexander. Seriously folks, one should not mock the afflicted, not in this the best wee country in the world. Whatever would the neighbours say. |
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