McConnell warned: fail and you're out

True Scotsman · McConnell warned: fail and you're out

Jack McConnell has been warned that is Labour loses any seats next year in the Holyrood Election he's out.

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McConnell warned: fail and you're out
EDDIE BARNES POLITICAL EDITOR

JACK McConnell is set to be ousted as First Minister if Labour loses seats at next year's Holyrood elections, Scotland on Sunday can reveal.

Senior party sources warn there is serious doubt about McConnell's future as leader, amid growing concern that Labour will be hammered at the polls next May.

One well-placed insider said that even if Labour remained the biggest party, a small drop in support would be likely to trigger an immediate MSPs' vote of no confidence in McConnell.

And some of the First Minister's allies now admit that even should he survive the coming election, he will be gone "within a couple of years".

McConnell has enjoyed complete job security since he took over from Henry McLeish in November 2001. This is the first time there has been any serious speculation about his demise.

It follows a grim week for Scottish Labour after it emerged that respected former health minister Susan Deacon would be quitting as an MSP at the next election, depriving the parliamentary party of one of its most talented figures.

McConnell is believed to be "terrified" that Deacon, who refused to serve under him as a minister, will destabilise his election campaign in the coming months.

But Deacon's resignation could be just the beginning of a far wider split within the party as it approaches the elections.

Some senior party fixers are furious at McConnell's election strategy. They believe the First Minister plans to take on the SNP by offering a more nationalistic approach in the campaign. One senior source said McConnell has laid out plans to take "bite-sized chunks" out of Westminster's powers and transfer them to Holyrood.

It is understood McConnell wants greater control over immigration to allow more foreigners to settle in Scotland. It is believed he also wants to secure powers over broadcasting for Holyrood.

Scottish Labour party general secretary Lesley Quinn is understood to have spoken to McConnell about his election strategy, urging him to change direction. Concerns have also been expressed by senior figures in both the Blairite and Brownite camps.

McConnell's leadership prospects are now being challenged openly by senior Labour figures, who have cast off all pretence that they are satisfied with the First Minister's performance.

Several well-placed sources from both inside Holyrood and in the broader party across Scotland, admitted Labour was rife with speculation about McConnell's position.

"The question is being asked. People are saying, what if it goes wrong at the next elections? What happens next? There is no longer the assumption that he will go on and on," said one figure.

Another senior Labour insider said: "The best we can hope for is that we only lose a few seats next year. He is a goner. There will be a vote of no confidence after the election. If there was an alternative candidate around at the moment, he would go right now."

A third well-placed source who has been closely allied to McConnell in the past said: "I don't think he will last more than a couple of years at the most."

The gloom within the party follows several polls which have suggested that Labour could lose as many as 12 of its 50 seats next May.

Among those being tipped to take over are finance minister Tom McCabe, parliament minister Margaret Curran and MSP Wendy Alexander.