Jim Murphy is new Scottish Labour leader.

[Pickman's model]

I did, but in the spirit of no-regrets, left it.

In the spirit of rueing-the-day, I now regret my decision.

or rouging the day

 

[danny la rouge]

or rouging the day

I'm red-faced enough at the lapse without make-up.

 

[Dogsauce]

Want Labour? Vote Tory.

Or something.

I was just looking for the 'why labour is scum' thread to post that it. FFS.

(a friend on fb is using this to try and encourage people to vote green rather than labour)

 

[danny la rouge]

This is an interesting analysis in the Spectator:

"The Scottish Tories see matters more clearly. In Edinburgh and Glasgow and Aberdeen, cities where the SNP is challenging Labour, there is considerable anecdotal evidence supporting the suspicion that many Tories are prepared to vote Labour, the better to thwart the nationalist advance. They would rather risk a Labour government than an SNP landslide that might put Cameron back in Downing Street. "

http://www.spectator.co.uk/features...at-westminster-could-mean-the-end-of-britain/

Wasn't sure which thread to put it on .

 

[William of Walworth]

If the only people swinging towards Labour in Scotland are Tories, that's hardly going to be enough to save them.

If Scottish Labour have any competence or organisational nous at all, they won't be relying solely (or even much at all) on that. Surely?

 

[danny la rouge]

If Scottish Labour have any competence or organisational nous at all

 

[William of Walworth]

That " " smiley has just a tiny smidgin of complacency about it maybe?

On top of all the very real evidence for Labour's uselessness in Scotland, naturally

 

[danny la rouge]

That " " smiley has just a tiny smidgin of complacency about it maybe?

No, I think Labour will do better than expected in Scotland.

Also, suggesting I had "complacency" about it would suggest that I'm an SNP supporter; I'm not.

However, I don't think Labour's performance will be related their efforts. They are imploding.

 

[butchersapron]

No, I think Labour will do better than expected in Scotland.

Also, suggesting I had "complacency" about it would suggest that I'm an SNP supporter; I'm not.

However, I don't think Labour's performance will be related their efforts. They are imploding.

Do you mean the party is imploding danny? Rather than the vote?

 

[danny la rouge]

Do you mean the party is imploding danny? Rather than the vote?

Yes, the organisation. Its support is unrelated to the activities of the party. I think the vote will rally regardless of what those headless chickens get up to.

Actually a better metaphor would be a chickenless head.

 

[butchersapron]

Yes, the organisation. Its support is unrelated to the activities of the party. I think the vote will rally regardless of what those headless chickens get up to.

Actually a better metaphor would be a chickenless head.

The SNP think they're the body.

 

[butchersapron]

Yes, the organisation. Its support is unrelated to the activities of the party. I think the vote will rally regardless of what those headless chickens get up to.

Actually a better metaphor would be a chickenless head.

I've got an idea the vote will hold up - but a) the polls don't support it b) posters on here far closer to ground say no, it's over - so i'm reduced to just looking at what labour vote has done historically - such as increasing vote last time around.

 

[danny la rouge]

The SNP think they're the body.

They do. And you can see the suppressed triumphalism in their faces. "Must. Not. Display. Hubris".

 

[danny la rouge]

I'vegot an idea the vote will hols up - but a) the polls don't support it b) posters on here going far closer to ground say no, it's over - so i'm reduced to just looking at what labour vote has done historically - such as increasing vote last time around.

I don't think it'll hold up a great deal. I think there will be significant losses. Losses that would be regarded as shocking, serious and game changing had it not been for the polls. But in the light of the polls, it will be seen as a victory and a triumph for Murphy's decisive leadership. It'll be nothing of the sort - it'll be habitual Labour voters turning out for Labour after all. Just not like previous Westminster elections.

 

[danny la rouge]

That said, I hope I'm wrong. I hope they're wiped out as badly as the polls say.

 

[danny la rouge]

Amusing article about Labour bickering over who deserves to be saved.

http://m.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/scottish-labour-in-civil-war-over-strategy-1-3710887

 

[danny la rouge]

This is where we are: the Labour Party talking about abandoning the West of Scotland as a lost cause.

It's a new world. That's just stunningly new territory, politically.

 

[weepiper]

Indyref really has changed everything.

 

[brogdale]

This is where we are: the Labour Party talking about abandoning the West of Scotland as a lost cause.

It's a new world. That's just stunningly new territory, politically.

Humza Yousaf's best line on last night's QT was when he corrected Kezia Dugdale's assertion that the Scottish electorate had turned their back on the Labour party..he corrected her and said it was the other way round.

 

[danny la rouge]

Humza Yousaf's best line on last night's QT was when he corrected Kezia Dugdale's assertion that the Scottish electorate had turned their back on the Labour party..he corrected her and said it was the other way round.

I didn't see QT (having been in the audience I know how it's done), but he knows how to deliver a performance.

 

[Sprocket.]

(having been in the audience I know how it's done).

Me too, instead of being chaired by David Dimbleby, Derren Brown or Dynamo would seem more appropriate!

 

[weepiper]

Article here about my seat, which was a Labour hold last time (but only just), SNP far in the distance in fourth place with only 7.7%

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...res-for-a-dogfight-in-edinburgh-10081136.html

the sitting Labour MP, is now in a straight dogfight with the SNP.

In Edinburgh South! That seems almost impossible. The independence vote went 65% No here.

 

[danny la rouge]

Article here about my seat, which was a Labour gain from the Libs last time (but only just), SNP far in the distance in fourth place

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...res-for-a-dogfight-in-edinburgh-10081136.html



In Edinburgh South! That seems almost impossible. The independence vote went 65% No here.

Yup. This is the sort of thing that's made me reevaluate my predictions for May.

I had thought that the SNP results were being over stated. But you can't ignore the evidence.

 

[Tankus]

Hopefully the complacents in labours taffia will get a wake up kick too

 

[nino_savatte]

According to the Morning Star, Murphy made McTernan his chief of staff back in January.

THIS January Jim Murphy, Labour’s leader in Scotland, made John McTernan into his chief of staff.

I saw McTernan last September at the Tory conference, offering advice to the Conservatives and praise to Margaret Thatcher.

McTernan was speaking at a breakfast meeting at the conference for Policy Exchange, a Tory-leaning think tank. The whole event was paid for by the Stock Exchange.

McTernan poured praise on Thatcher. He said: “She changed the economic structure for good. As in forever. But also for good. It’s a good thing she did what she did.”

His only complaint was Thatcher didn’t convince enough people and that “she didn’t sell what she was doing” enough.
McTernan told the Tories that he was an enthusiast for privatisation.
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/...this-Labour-hardly-needs-enemies#.VPnUpyusXng

Is anyone still thinking of voting SLAB in the General Election?

 

[Sprocket.]

I also read that a former local councillor has got the nomination for Midlothian, Kenny Young.
What, labour selecting a local as a candidate, they usually parachute one of their chums in! Maybe trying to win the locals over?

 

[Frankie Jack]

According to the Morning Star, Murphy made McTernan his chief of staff back in January.


Is anyone still thinking of voting SLAB in the General Election?

Nope.

 

[DotCommunist]

its inevitable really, slabour COULD have tried to outflank the SNP by me-tooing to soc\dec type stuff- but how can they when tied to the party whole that just won't shift an inch on issues that affect the w\c electorate

doomed! doomed I tell ye!

 

[Ungrateful]

Aye, if Jim Murphy wasn't such an egotistical careerist, I'd be wondering if he wasn't deliberately trying to wreck Labour's chances in the elections. Instead his incompetence might in the long-run help the last few remaining leftists in Labour.

When Foot was fighting Thatcher, the right-wing sections of the Labour Party deliberately kept a low profile so that the eventual defeat could not be blamed on them, and it would be the socialists who were discredited. This time, if Ed fails, then Jim's making sure that the right-wing can receive its share of the blame.

 

[weepiper]

Master of understatement: