Timorous Beastie
I was thinking about the new 'radical' measures the Labour party is introducing - in an effort to restore some of its credibility in Scotland.
See post dated 9 September 2011 - 'Stuck in the Past'.
Now these measures are all eminently sensible - it's just that they don't go nearly far enough - and are being brought in 10 or 15 years too late.
Because who in their right mind could argue against:
● Loosening ties with the UK Labour party
● Appointing a Scottish leader – who might not be an MSP – with unprecedented powers to shape policy and plan strategy north of the Border
● Kicking out long-serving MPs and MSPs and train a new generation of “top notch” candidates
● Reconnecting with the business world
● Hauling themselves into the 21st century by using social media for campaigning
Yet cast your mind back only a few years - when Scotland's second First Minister - Labour's Henry McLeish - wanted to give the Scottish Executive (as it was then) its proper title - the Scottish Government.
All hell broke loose - politically speaking - as Labour MPs at Westminster briefed against Henry McLeish and his 'white heather' club at Holyrood.
So Labour has a lot of ground to make up to be taken seriously once again.
Not least because the party's biggest hitters in Scotland - all seem uninterested in leading the Scottish party - which sends out entirely the wrong message to the voting public.
When it comes to electing a new Scottish leader - Labour seems intent on choosing from its 'B' team - which is an odd way to go about restoring public confidence.
See post dated 9 September 2011 - 'Stuck in the Past'.
Now these measures are all eminently sensible - it's just that they don't go nearly far enough - and are being brought in 10 or 15 years too late.
Because who in their right mind could argue against:
● Loosening ties with the UK Labour party
● Appointing a Scottish leader – who might not be an MSP – with unprecedented powers to shape policy and plan strategy north of the Border
● Kicking out long-serving MPs and MSPs and train a new generation of “top notch” candidates
● Reconnecting with the business world
● Hauling themselves into the 21st century by using social media for campaigning
Yet cast your mind back only a few years - when Scotland's second First Minister - Labour's Henry McLeish - wanted to give the Scottish Executive (as it was then) its proper title - the Scottish Government.
All hell broke loose - politically speaking - as Labour MPs at Westminster briefed against Henry McLeish and his 'white heather' club at Holyrood.
So Labour has a lot of ground to make up to be taken seriously once again.
Not least because the party's biggest hitters in Scotland - all seem uninterested in leading the Scottish party - which sends out entirely the wrong message to the voting public.
When it comes to electing a new Scottish leader - Labour seems intent on choosing from its 'B' team - which is an odd way to go about restoring public confidence.
