End of Days (18/01/15)
Gerry Braiden writing in The Herald provides some interesting background on the civil war which has broken out within the Labour group in North Lanarkshire Council.
I knew nothing about this row until just the other day, but instinctively I am on Tommy Morgan's side because anyone who's spoke up against the vile practices of the old Monklands District Council deserves a bit of respect, if you ask me.
I knew nothing about this row until just the other day, but instinctively I am on Tommy Morgan's side because anyone who's spoke up against the vile practices of the old Monklands District Council deserves a bit of respect, if you ask me.
And I suspect Gerry Braiden is quite right about the 'end of days' feeling towards the present Labour administration which has made itself look completely ridiculous over its disastrous handling of equal pay.
Analysis: the ghost of Monklands past haunts Labour in North Lanarkshire
Old Labour's last UK outpost of any standing, North Lanarkshire Council hasn't moved on much politically since its creation in the mid-1990s.
With many of its original politicians still in post, neither have the ghosts of the legendary scandal which jaundiced its conception.
The legacy of Monklands, that byword for local government dirty linen, is again threatening the unity of the Labour Party in its one of its bastions.
Tommy Morgan, leader of the rebel faction of Labour councillors which accused its own administration on Monklands District Council of corruption and impropriety, has been sacked from his watchdog role over allegations of insubordination.
As well as council leader Jim McCabe, the few who demanded action against Morgan included Jim Brooks, the leader of Monklands at the time of the affair and a close ally of his political boss.
Not only have old enmities resurfaced, if indeed they ever went away, but with Morgan's legal challenge the matter has again gone straight to Labour's national leadership to help resolve.
And insiders insist Morgan's awkward questioning of contracts, relationships, processes and procedures echo his approach to his Monklands concerns almost a quarter of a century ago.
As the jungle drums sound throughout the council's Motherwell headquarters, senior figures in the authority are talking about potential coups, irreversible internecine strife at the very least.
The vote to oust Morgan was carried by 16 votes to 14, tantalisingly close and an indication of how evenly split the sides may be.
But decades-old rancour is far from the only dynamic in North Lanarkshire. McCabe, a titan of Labour local government since the 1990s, has ruled with an iron fist. Too long, many in his group now clearly believe.
Due to stand down in 2017 (he said in 2012 he was remaining in politics to avoid watching Jeremy Kyle at home) there is also jockeying to become his successor, a factor accelerated by recent bouts of serious ill health, long absences and an obvious power vacuum.
MPs in the area have cast a long shadow over the council, in particular Motherwell's Frank Roy. The recent decision to axe school closure plans in Roy's constituency so close to the General Election brought with it allegations of interference and claims by Morgan that too many councillor colleagues who also work for MPs and MSPs have divided loyalties.
His anger over this is said to have spilled over in an abrasive Labour group meeting, leading to complaints by McCabe, Brooks and two others. When Morgan failed to attend a meeting to discipline him he was sacked.
But perhaps the most significant factor has been the Referendum. Despite an overwhelming Labour majority in 2012 the Yes campaign won the vote in North Lanarkshire.
Even as far back as the summer there were complaints older Labour councillors were nowhere to be seen on the campaign trail. Speculation persists that some voted Yes. Despite its reputation as one of Labour's key Scottish citadels and years of no challenge by a feckless and often dysfunctional opposition, many fear there is an end of days feel about the administration.
More pressing is May's General Election, where a civil war amongst Labour footsoldiers will not aid efforts to see off the projected SNP landslide. Asked who is talking about Morgan's concerns about North Lanarkshire's dealings with Mears group one senior source replied simply: "Everyone."
That includes the MPs. It is unlikely McCabe could survive as leader beyond his groups' May agm if Labour perform poorly.
One suspects there are many twists and turns before then.
