The Rump after the Thump

[secrets in symmetry]

The Scottish Labour Party has been thumped at the polls, as is evident from the number of MSPs they have. I think everyone would agree with that narrow assessment, but the consequences are wider than that.

For the Labour Party, not only have they lost a lot of MSPs, but they have lost more of their senior and experienced MSPs than they should have done, and all because they didn't put most of their big guns on the Regional Lists like the other parties do. I suspect this was due to a combination of misplaced arrogance and complacency. Labour's election campaign was a disaster in my opinion - they seemed to be fighting last year's General Election all over again, but with a feckless leader who wasn't up to the job. Replacing Wendy Alexander with Iain Gray was like the Tories replacing William Hague with Ian Duncan Smith. God knows who they will replace Ian Gray with. Do they have any young talent coming through? Their deputy leader is a non starter in my opinion, and I couldn't name anyone else they might consider.

You may say Labour's problems are exactly that, but we shouldn't lose track of the idea that a parliament should have an effective opposition. I don't see Labour being able to provide that service. And that is a bad thing.

Eck and his pals could run riot if they wish. To their credit, I don't think they will. And that is a good thing.

[bagpuss]

Public image does appear to have had a significant impact. Faced by angry protestors, Wee Eck would have faced up to them and argued them into place, but Ian Gray fled- and his meek manner did him no favours.

In the past Labour had some impressive politicians- just think back to the days of people like Donald Dewar, Robin Cook and John Smith. Jack McConnell knew how to work the Scottish parliament- but no Labour First Minister seemed to stick- and McLeish and McConnell were backed into resignation by controversy.

However, the biggest casualties are the LibDems- the loss of those Highland seats may presage a similar situation at Westminster.

My obnoxious brother in law spent this evening having very bad indigestion (he's a Tory MP). I do hope it wasn't that helping of oh so humble pie......

[Whitewater]

Labour are loosing because they do not listen to the electorate, and they are arrogant, all they seem do do is sling mud at the opposition. They do not produce any good ideas or admit they made a complete hips of things when they were in power.

[Rheghead]

The Scottish Labour Party has been thumped at the polls, as is evident from the number of MSPs they have.

Yes I agree with that, Labour's core vote stood up but was was unable to entice disaffected Libdem voters.

[secrets in symmetry]

Yes, Iain Gray was doomed after his public encounter with a small number of screaming numpties, and his subsequent retreat into Subway. He should have at least gone down the other stairs into the superloos and fought a brave rearguard action from there, as Michael Foot would have done in that situation.

Robin Cook was never at Holyrood and John Smith died long before it existed. Jack McConnell might have been affected by the odd scandal, but he stepped down after losing power to Eck at the ballot box in 2007, not because of a scandal.

Labour suffer from losing their most talented politicians to Westminster, although their paucity at Holyrood is only made even more clear by including Margaret Curran in the list of the "talented" moving south. I thought Andy Kerr should have been voted leader when Wendy Alexander stepped down. He would have been much better than the Gray man in my opinion, but Andy has gone now.

I liked Susan Deacon, but evidently Jack McConnell didn't.

I didn't mention the Lib Dems because their demise was inevitable at the Holyrood, Welsh and English council elections, and probably also in result of the AV referendum. They aren't the biggest casualties - yet. I suspect they will have a less cosy relationship with the Tories from now one, but they are unlikely to break the coalition - yet.

It was a good day for the SNP, but given the possible eventualities, it was arguably as good a day for the Tories. They actually gained council seats in England from a high starting base (whilst the Lib Dems were falling apart everywhere), they gained a couple of seats in the Welsh Assembly and became the second biggest party there, and they didn't collapse too badly in Scotland. There was no need for Gaviscon Pie on their menu.

[gleeber]

There's an assumption here that the SNP did good because labour did bad. The SNP did good because they showed over the last 5 years that they can run a country as well as Labour or conservative can and in this case even better. The SNP have arrived. It can only be good for Scottish politcs.

[secrets in symmetry]

Yes I agree with that, Labour's core vote stood up but was was unable to entice disaffected Libdem voters.Yes, on first analysis, all of the disaffected Lib Dems seem to have gone to the SNP, whereas in the polls of a few months ago, they all seemed to be heading for Labour.

Labour's constituency vote wasn't too different from 2007, but that was a bad year for them too.

[bagpuss]

but what happened to old 'still standing' Gordon Campbell?

[Bazeye]

Labour are loosing because they do not listen to the electorate, and they are arrogant,

Isnt that what politics is all about.

[Rheghead]

Hurray, I believe tins of beans are now 1p cheaper in Aldi compared to Lidl. #Bigfailwhodowereallywanttobeasanation?

[secrets in symmetry]

The Scottish Labour Party has been thumped at the polls, as is evident from the number of MSPs they have. I think everyone would agree with that narrow assessment, but the consequences are wider than that.

For the Labour Party, not only have they lost a lot of MSPs, but they have lost more of their senior and experienced MSPs than they should have done, and all because they didn't put most of their big guns on the Regional Lists like the other parties do. I suspect this was due to a combination of misplaced arrogance and complacency. Labour's election campaign was a disaster in my opinion - they seemed to be fighting last year's General Election all over again, but with a feckless leader who wasn't up to the job. Replacing Wendy Alexander with Iain Gray was like the Tories replacing William Hague with Ian Duncan Smith. God knows who they will replace Ian Gray with. Do they have any young talent coming through? Their deputy leader is a non starter in my opinion, and I couldn't name anyone else they might consider.

You may say Labour's problems are exactly that, but we shouldn't lose track of the idea that a parliament should have an effective opposition. I don't see Labour being able to provide that service. And that is a bad thing.

Eck and his pals could run riot if they wish. To their credit, I don't think they will. And that is a good thing.It's almost a year on. I got some things right and some wrong.

Labour still have no visible young talent. Their deputy leader (who I thought was a non starter) became leader. I still think she's a non starter.

There is no effective opposition in Holyrood. Eck and his pals have run riot. If this continues, then our country is doomed to vote for independence and a future as a useless self-indulgent small European country with foreign-owned windmills and a big dam - if Peter Dow gets his way lol - and no scientists - because we're all working on our exit strategy.

How does one become English? I had an Anglo-Irish grandmother - is that enough?

[Gronnuck]

The SNP served its purpose - it provided an alternative to Labour. A complacent party that had discredited itself in many people's eyes. In many ways the SNP has been a refreshing change but that doesn't mean the electorate want independence. In the run up to the referendum the Labour leadership is going to have to mature very quickly.

[squidge]

Scottish Labour is a disappointment. They need to change from the grass roots upwards. The carry on with Glasgow council is a disgrace and for the leadership to say nothing is bizarre. The SNP have set their sights on Glasgow council and they will get it as well unless something radical changes. As an ex labour voter and one time member, a one time trades unionist and lifelong socialist I find it a terrible shame. They seem to have no idea who they want to represent and as such politics in Scotland suffers. They are a shambles and seem to spend all their time slagging of the SNP or Alex Salmond. Thats fine and has a place as part of a strategy but its no good if its your WHOLE strategy. We need a bit of passion we need them to look at Donald Dewar and Robin Cook ( couldnt stand the man but at least he was intellectual and gutsy) John Smith and further to Nye Bevan and for goodness sake John Maclean (whilst not a labour party member - he was a marxist and a member of the communist party - still a massive influence on Left Wing politics at the time) and get some backbone and begin once again to represent the man in the street. Days have changed and these characters may well be antiques in their original form but distill their passion and desire for social justice and the desire to do the best for ordinary people and you might have the recipe for a true Scottish Labour Party - distinct from the Westminster party who seem to be turning into slightly pink tories - and maybe one who will win some flipping votes.

[John Little]

Squidge - that sounds awfully like a plea for a prophet to lead you away from what you would not otherwise do...

[secrets in symmetry]

The SNP served its purpose - it provided an alternative to Labour. A complacent party that had discredited itself in many people's eyes. In many ways the SNP has been a refreshing change but that doesn't mean the electorate want independence. In the run up to the referendum the Labour leadership is going to have to mature very quickly.What Labour leadership?

[squidge]

Squidge - that sounds awfully like a plea for a prophet to lead you away from what you would not otherwise do...I dont know what that means John.

[secrets in symmetry]

I dont know what that means John.Oh dear - that's you off the list of potential candidates for archbishop!

You're leading him, surely?