JIM Murphy last night confirmed that he is to run for the leadership of the Scottish Labour Party. The East Renfrewshire MP will make a formal announcement today.
The matter of managing First Minister’s Questions nicely illustrates the systemic defects afflicting “Scottish” Labour. Abysmal failings to which the party bosses in London and “Scottish” Labour’s old-guard are evidently completely oblivious.
The problem as Jim Murphy and his cronies see it is not how to provide functional leadership for the party’s North British branch; and certainly not how to start providing an effective opposition at Holyrood. From the perspective of Murphy and British Labour’s Westminster elite, the problem is entirely one of how to arrange things for the convenience of Jim Murphy.
It never occurs to this arrogant buffoon that he should bend to the demands of democracy and good government. No! The system must be adjusted to accommodate him. As ever, the personal interests and partisan priorities of British politicians takes precedence over the needs of the people of Scotland.
Should Murphy become nominal leader of British Labour in Scotland, he will inevitably be regarded as London Labour’s man. This can only exacerbate the already horrendous difficulties facing those who still cling to the notion of “Scottish” Labour.
Why should I care? Why should anybody be upset by the continuing melt-down of a faux party which has so disastrously failed our country and so casually betrayed the principles of the Labour movement?
Because, like it or not, British Labour in Scotland is a significant force in Scottish politics and is likely to remain so even as it decays. Democracy is ill-served by this significant force being in such parlous disarray. The solution is for “Scottish” Labour to rid itself of the British politicians whose hubris has brought brought them to this pass. It most certainly is not to elevate one of the most odious of those British politicians to a position of leadership.
See on scotsman.com
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