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Mctosh45

Labour MP To defect to the S.N.P.?

This could destroy Labour in Scotland! Check it out at the Sunday Herald.............http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.1...107583.0.0.php Shocked Laughing Laughing Laughing
Stockholm

http://www.sundayherald.com/news/...dnews/display.var.1107583.0.0.php

Quote:
A LABOUR MP is in secret talks with the SNP about leaving the party and defecting to the Nationalists, the Sunday Herald has learned.

The SNP hierarchy has had several high-level discussions with the politician, who is said to be unhappy with Tony Blair's foreign policy.

Nationalist leader Alex Salmond hopes to unveil his new recruit ahead of May's crucial Holyrood election.

The revelation is the latest blow for Labour as they attempt to hold on to power in the Scottish parliament.

continued...

Various opinion polls have found Labour lagging behind the SNP, whose leadership are treating the Holyrood poll as their best ever chance of winning an election.

The continuing crisis in Iraq, the UK government's support for renewing Trident and the cash-for-peerages controversy are thought to be harming Jack McConnell's chances of retaining power.

But Labour's election hopes are likely to deteriorate further with the revelation that one of their Scottish MPs has been having clandestine talks with the SNP about defecting.

The meetings, which took place in London, focused on the possibility of joining a party always opposed by the MP.

The MP is understood to be opposed to the government's decision to back the renewal of the Trident missile system. He or she is also believed to be unhappy about the current situation on Iraq.

A source close to the talks said: "Discussions have taken place between the SNP and a Scottish Labour MP. They have been on a what if' basis but the person is serious about defecting."

A defection would be the first time a Labour MP had switched to the SNP since Dick Douglas joined the Nationalists in 1990.

The SNP has also had talks with several Labour councillors about jumping ship. The Sunday Herald understands that Salmond and his colleagues have turned away six Labour councillors because the party doubted their motivation as potential defectors.

While it is good news for Salmond and the SNP, a high-profile defection would be a hammer blow for McConnell's re-election hopes.

The Scottish Labour leader is said to be frustrated that his party's chances are being harmed by events outwith his control in London. A walkout by a Labour MP would be seen as another distraction emanating from Westminster.

His supporters are also thought to be irked that his largely upbeat campaign message - making Scotland's education system the best in the world - is being drowned out by UK Ministers' attacks on independence.

McConnell yesterday admitted his party faced a struggle in its chase for votes with the SNP. Addressing Labour candidates in Edinburgh, he said: "We have a real fight on our hands. But the prize will be worth it. On May 4th, to have bucked every international trend for a mid-term election, to have rewritten the political textbooks, to have made history once again, and above all to have the opportunity to serve for four more years."

In addition, he admitted to feelings of "fallibility" as a politician: "I'm not going to apologise for being a human being with cares and concerns, passions and doubts."

He also used the speech to attack Salmond's credibility as a candidate for First Minister: "If you want snide comments, sarcastic laughter and playground mockery you know which leader to go to."

Salmond declined to talk about the defection talks last night.

An SNP spokesman said: "Clearly there are tensions within the Labour party, not least over the leadership's determination to foist a new generation of nuclear weapons on Scotland, however we are neither anticipating or claiming any immediate defections.

"The SNP is a welcoming and inclusive party and we would welcome anybody with Scotland's best interests at heart."Labour MP. They have been on a what if' basis but the person is serious about defecting.

Sensational if true.
Lothian Sky

Anyone care to speculate? Very Happy
Jimmy McGovern? Gordon Banks?
It has to be someone whos jacket's on a shoogly peg, surely!
Cymro

He/She's possibly leaving the Labour Party for the SNP because they oppose Blair's foreign policy? Is anyone else not a bit worried about this - could the SNP just become full of Unionists who oppose the War on Iraq?

I'm certainly worried that Plaid Cymru make too much on their opposition to the War on Iraq. At the end of the day PC and the SNP are Pro Independence Parties, when people join these parties for what ever reason they are still joining Pro Independence Parties and it's important that it stays this way. Could having a small but substancial number of Unionists threaten to weaken the parties if/when they will be in positions to push for independence in the future by forming an administration.
Economist

Cymro wrote:
He/She's possibly leaving the Labour Party for the SNP because they oppose Blair's foreign policy? Is anyone else not a bit worried about this - could the SNP just become full of Unionists who oppose the War on Iraq?

I'm certainly worried that Plaid Cymru make too much on their opposition to the War on Iraq. At the end of the day PC and the SNP are Pro Independence Parties, when people join these parties for what ever reason they are still joining Pro Independence Parties and it's important that it stays this way. Could having a small but substancial number of Unionists threaten to weaken the parties if/when they will be in positions to push for independence in the future by forming an administration.


Perhaps, if like half the Parliamentary Labour party defected to the SNP, but this is one member and not a whole lot more. If this member really detests independence, and is a devout unionist, why not defect to the LibDems (who are also critical of the Government's foreign policy, but still unionist) or even just resign the Labour whip and sit as an independent (it has happened a few times before). As long as it damages and weakens Labour, that is good. Whether they defect to the LibDems, SNP or whoever is not as important.

Given that the independence/union and Labour/SNP debate is beginning getting really, really jacked up now, I think this possible Labour defector knows what is at stake. And after all, they haven't defected yet. Have they got the guts to?
Economist

Lothian Sky wrote:
Anyone care to speculate? Very Happy
Jimmy McGovern? Gordon Banks?
It has to be someone whos jacket's on a shoogly peg, surely!


Gordon Brown? Wink

Well, the article doesn't say anything about the MP being a backbench one Laughing Laughing
macnumpty

Jim Devine? Given that most of the pronouncements coming from his mouth since the Livingston By-Election have been anti-Salmond rent-a-quotes, but he claims to oppose certainly Iraq, it could be him.

It might even be Katy Clark: I don't see any genders being used either, and she's very much on the Left of the Party.

Or perhaps Gavin Strang, whose campaign leaflets at the last election (I know, I got them) listed what he'd voted against the Labour government on. Razz
Avatar

It seems to be all falling apart at the seams for Labour. Very Happy
George

I'll opt for Gavin Strang
Shadowman

Let's not exaggerate the importance of this. Even if this defection takes place, Labour will still have 40 MPs in Scotland, out of a total of 59.
George

Shadowman wrote:
Let's not exaggerate the importance of this. Even if this defection takes place, Labour will still have 40 MPs in Scotland, out of a total of 59.


There's no need to exaggerate it, even as speculation it's big news. If it actually came to pass that a member of the current Westminster Government defected to Labours most bitter rival in Scotland just prior to the election then it will be massive!!!
macnumpty

The thing is that this actually has to happen now. If it doesn't (and following the speculation, the Whips will be on Red Alert, doing everything they can to stop this), it could come back to bite the SNP. Let's wait until X crosses the Floor before we get the champagne out.
wisnaeme

New labour's moral is pretty shaky at the moment.Their wondering about defections and who's going to stab them in the back won't help so Alex did well to keep upping the anti and add more apprehension to their already apparent wobblyness. Well done, Alex. Even if nothing comes of it a reminder of the mere fact that it is perhaps more than a possibility will not be a comfort to Labour. Ah well, just shows you what happens when the unionist Labour party policy of using fear and threat as political weapon is used by themselves ad nauseam, especially when suspicion and infighting prevails within their ranks. I wonder which of them are going to press the self destruct button? What goes around comes around and backfires on it's initial perpretrators is not a new phenomenon.Using fear as a justification of argument gives rise to those using it a perceived sense of insecurity and paranoia. Well done Alex.
Aventinian

Re: Labour MP To defect to the S.N.P.?

Mctosh45 wrote:
This could destroy Labour in Scotland! Check it out at the Sunday Herald...


Nothing short of a nuclear bomb will destroy Labour in Scotland for the next forty-odd years at least.

More's the pity.

Cymro wrote:
He/She's possibly leaving the Labour Party for the SNP because they oppose Blair's foreign policy? Is anyone else not a bit worried about this - could the SNP just become full of Unionists who oppose the War on Iraq?


I'd argue that's what half of their voters are. Very Happy
Avatar

I wonder if Labour members will have to start swearing an allegiance to the red rose, maybe they'll get their ID cards early too Laughing
IF Convenor

Re: Labour MP To defect to the S.N.P.?

Aventinian wrote:
Nothing short of a nuclear bomb will destroy Labour in Scotland for the next forty-odd years at least.


Trident, anyone?
Economist

Labour's denying it:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6239043.stm
Avatar

Quote:
"Maybe Alex Salmond is so keen to speak to Labour MPs because Labour is the party with ideas for Scotland's future that will unlock the potential of every Scot, and SNP MPs are fighting like ferrets in a sack."


SNP are fighting like ferrets in a sack what are they on about?
Babygael

Ave the "Britman" is gettin' desperate,Och weel dinnae fret lad,when Scots tak back ther', country, ye parcel o' rogues will be taken care aff!! Och no' like the engerlish dae it! we dinna attempt tae crush the speerit oot' o' a man and mak him ashamed aff his ain people! Like the engerlish dae it!!

YES IF!
Boab

[quote="macnumpty"]Jim Devine? Given that most of the pronouncements coming from his mouth since the Livingston By-Election have been anti-Salmond rent-a-quotes, but he claims to oppose certainly Iraq, it could be him.




Is that what he has been going on about. I can't make out a word Lord Farepack says. What a let down for the people of Livingston this character has been after Robin Cook.
George

Re: Labour MP To defect to the S.N.P.?

IF Convenor wrote:
Aventinian wrote:
Nothing short of a nuclear bomb will destroy Labour in Scotland for the next forty-odd years at least.


Trident, anyone?


Very witty Smile
Lothian Sky

Economist wrote:
Labour's denying it:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6239043.stm


I dont see how they could deny it with any conviction.
How could they possibly know for sure it hasn't happened?
R.Ascal

The questions is why would the SNP want any of these jokers?
azzuri

Quote:
He added: "Maybe Alex Salmond is so keen to speak to Labour MPs because Labour is the party with ideas for Scotland's future that will unlock the potential of every Scot, and SNP MPs are fighting like ferrets in a sack."


Well why the f**k haven't Labour ideas 'unlocked the potential in every Scot' in the last f***ing decade then?
Rinty

r

I think this is maybe a non-story, I cant think who it might be but dont think that the suggestions put forward are likely.

Katy Clark is on the left so is unlikely to join a business friendly party like the SNP, Devine is a labour loyalist through and through.

If I had to bet on whether this is true I would bet no. If I had to bet on who it is I would bet Michael Connarty.
macnumpty

Well, the story seems to have died the death anyway. Maybe it'll flare up again in this week's Sunday papers but the brief commotion over this seems to have evaporated for now.
SouthernJock

Yep, it was supposed to have been the later part of this week that the defector was going to be revealed, now were at the end of the week, there has been nothing further. So perhaps it was not a true story or SNP and Defector X are waiting for the right moment
SLG

R.Ascal wrote:
The questions is why would the SNP want any of these jokers?

I would take my Labour MP like a shot (Mark Lazarowicz).

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