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macnumpty
Getting on a bit!
Joined: 11 Feb 2006
Posts: 1758
Location: Exiled down south.
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 Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 3:53 pm Post subject: A swift boot up the Jack-sy |
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(Running out of 'Jack'-based headlines? Moi?)
Well, folks, we have a stalking horse. Or at least, we appear to. Charlie Gordon (the MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, after the By-Election to replace Mike Watson) has decided that it's time that the Labour Party was given a say on its Leader in the Scottish Parliament (this would be a first, incidentally: in the McLeish-McConnell contest a hastily arranged Electoral College involving MSPs and the Party's Scottish Executive, and McConnell then decided not to contest the full Leadership Election held later), and that he could be the one to bring it about.
According to the Herald: | Quote: | "However, it is understood he has little expectation of winning the leadership, and that the effect would be to draw other MSPs into such a race.
"Contacted yesterday, Mr Gordon would say only that he has not ruled out standing to force a contest." |
I'm not totally certain of the procedure for ousting a sitting leader, but when there's a vacancy, candidates require the backing of one eighth of the Parliamentary Party, or six MSPs in this case. In 2001, John McAllion and Malcolm Chisholm both failed to get the seven that was needed then. Will Charlie Gordon succeed where they could not? (If Labour people were willing to enlighten me as regards the procedure of ousting an incumbent, I would be grateful)
In a sense, it doen't matter. The pendulum has swung against Jack McConnell: Annabel Goldie was seen as in trouble before the campaign got underway. As it did, McConnell was seen as the one in the weakest position. In the aftermath of the election, Nicol Stephen appeared to be in difficulty, but the spotlight has again shifted to McConnell. The Labour group has the poorest discipline of any of the groups in terms of rebellions and people are not just talking about life after McConnell, they're talking about either making life after McConnell happen ASAP, or at the very least throwing the question of the Leadership open to a wider audience. Charlie Gordon has said that he will force a contest, and Wendy Alexander's campaign is being prepared, if there is to be a vacancy. The conclusion is clear: the vultures are circling, and McConnell's time is up.
Perhaps it would have been better for McConnell if Labour had lost the Cathcart By-Election back in 2005! 
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Reluctant Hero
Collecting my 'Our Scotland' Pension!
Joined: 17 Sep 2005
Posts: 2267
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| Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | (If Labour people were willing to enlighten me as regards the procedure of ousting an incumbent, I would be grateful)
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Whilst in no way am I labour, this was reported in the Hearld today
| Quote: | Labour rules allow a challenge to the Holyrood leadership at the annual conference, due next February, unless the party's Scottish executive responds to at least 10 MSPs nominating a challenger and calls a special conference before then. In such a contest, one-third of the voting college is decided by MSPs, MPs and MEPs combined, one-third by constituency members, and one-third by trade union affiliates.
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http://www.theherald.co.uk/politics/news/display.var.1569824.0.0.php
My tanslation of that peculiar sentence is that anyone can challenge for leadership at the annual conference. However if before the conference someone gets the support of 10 MSP's, then it is up to the party's executive to call a special conference.
I can't see Gordon getting 10 votes as that is just about a quarter of the elected Labour Party, so McConnell might ride it out to February.
On the other hand, McConnell could call an election himself. This would all but eliminate Kerr and Alexander as I don't think they would want to do a Heseltine.
But maybe the Lords is calling McConnell and he doesn't care about the leadership anymore.
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