Johann Lamont quits

[Jim McLean's Ghost]

From skimming the list of current Labour MSPs there are only a couple of viable candidates after discounting those who have already ruled themselves out

1. Ken MacIntosh - could base his candidacy on the fact Ed Milliband doesn't even know who he is which scuppered his previous bid.

2. Patricia Ferguson - experienced without being notable but that is all it takes to stand out in this list, former trade union worker

After that you are really scraping the barrel for experience and stature. I wouldn't even consider a Labour List MSP, it is an absolute moron parade.

If they really want to go out on a limb Dr Elaine Murray is a possibility. Someone who probably wouldn't get instant support since she is very middle class and English but she does have trade union credentials and really nobody else wants this gig.

[Colkitto]

From skimming the list of current Labour MSPs there are only a couple of viable candidates after discounting those who have already ruled themselves out

1. Ken MacIntosh - could base his candidacy on the fact Ed Milliband doesn't even know who he is which scuppered his previous bid.

2. Patricia Ferguson - experienced without being notable but that is all it takes to stand out in this list, former trade union worker

After that you are really scraping the barrel for experience and stature. I wouldn't even consider a Labour List MSP, it is an absolute moron parade.

If they really want to go out on a limb Dr Elaine Murray is a possibility. Someone who probably wouldn't get instant support since she is very middle class and English but she does have trade union credentials and really nobody else wants this gig.

When you think about it Murphy is now the only realistic candidate. It's a sort of win win situation for people on my side of the fence.

[Reynard]

When you think about it Murphy is now the only realistic candidate. It's a sort of win win situation for people on my side of the fence.

Murphy is a good performer but he hates Miliband and Miliband doesn't rate him. He's clearly the only one other than maybe Brown (who wont do it) who would bother the SNP at Holyrood. The rest of them are a similar sort of calibre to the garbage that the SNP are currently sifting through for THEIR deputy after the unopposed run Sturgeon had. There's very little talent at all in Holyrood.

[Colkitto]

Murphy is a good performer but he hates Miliband and Miliband doesn't rate him. He's clearly the only one other than maybe Brown (who wont do it) who would bother the SNP at Holyrood. The rest of them are a similar sort of calibre to the garbage that the SNP are currently sifting through for THEIR deputy after the unopposed run Sturgeon had. There's very little talent at all in Holyrood.

Labour has very little talent at Westminster too. Tories ain't that great either

[Reynard]

Labour has very little talent at Westminster too. Tories ain't that great either

We are talking about Holyrood.

[strichener]

We are talking about Holyrood.

They probably will for a while. Labour are a complete shambles of a party nationwide. Can I share your popcorn?

^^^ Forgets that it was a No vote!

Murphy is a good performer but he hates Miliband and Miliband doesn't rate him. He's clearly the only one other than maybe Brown (who wont do it) who would bother the SNP at Holyrood. The rest of them are a similar sort of calibre to the garbage that the SNP are currently sifting through for THEIR deputy after the unopposed run Sturgeon had. There's very little talent at all in Holyrood.

Mentions 4 politicians of which only one is an MSP and the other 3 are MPs.

We are talking about Holyrood.

Yep, you sure were only speaking about Holyrood.

[Reynard]

^^^ Forgets that it was a No vote!

Mentions 4 politicians of which only one is an MSP and the other 3 are MPs.

Yep, you sure were only speaking about Holyrood.

I was talking about the lack of talent in Holyrood from both Labour and the SNP. Particularly in terms of drawing leadership teams. Like you efforts at pedantry in the oil thread you've made a c**t of it again.

[H Wragg]

Does Murphy fancy his barra at getting a decent job if Labour were to win at Westminster in 2015?

If so, would that not discourage him from taking this job as he'd have to stand for Holyrood in 2016 in an election Labour are likely to take a shoeing in? Would Eastwood (or whatever his area's seat at Holyrood is called) be regarded as safe enough for him to be elected anyway or would he be 'reduced' to standing on the lists?

Protocol nowadays would also seem to suggest he'd have to resign his Westminster seat as having a foot in both camps is no longer the done thing.

Decisions decisions indeed.

[strichener]

I was talking about the lack of talent in Holyrood from both Labour and the SNP. Particularly in terms of drawing leadership teams. Like you efforts at pedantry in the oil thread you've made a c**t of it again.

Ah, I get it now. When you talk about Westminster Labour MPs that is OK, someone else mentions it then it's off-topic. Right you are.

[~~~]

George Foulkes getting tore into his Labour colleague in Scotland "Stop blaming London"

[ICTJohnboy]

George Foulkes getting tore into his Labour colleague in Scotland "Stop blaming London"

Pathetic old drunk.

[ScotlandGer]

Surprised Murphy seems to be going for this.

The college voting system will not help him. If, as suggested Findlay goes for it, he'll get the union vote imo. The grassroot vote would probably be split fairly even between the pair. Findlay will also edge it among MSPs while MPs may not go for Murphy overwhelmingly so.

I hope Findlay gets it. I've got respect for Findlay and think he'll be a good addition to the senior level of politics in Scotland. Murphy would become a bit of his own side-show.

If Murphy gets it, though, he'll annoy Labour MSPs to distraction which would be a laugh.

[Fotbawmad]

Don't you have to be a current MSP to stand for party leadership?

[H Wragg]

Don't you have to be a current MSP to stand for party leadership?

No.

See A. Salmond.

[~~~]

No.

See A. Salmond.

Salmond was never in the Labour Party

[renton]

No.

See A. Salmond.

A more relevent example would be Tom Harris in 2011.

[renton]

There are a lot fo risks for Murphy in running.

If he runs and gets beat by, say, Findlay - that's pretty much game over for his political career.

If he runs and wins, giving up his MP seat in the process, then he has to then win the 2016 Holyrood election, which looks like a struggle at the minute. Lose that, and he will need to resign as is the fashion of modern politics and then, that's career over for him, 18 months down the line.

If he runs and wins, but Milliband loses in 2015 and the latter departs, then that faction of the party will be eclipsed and Murphy will find himself frozen out of the running for the 'big jobs' down south which clearly have always been his priority.

Murphy would surely have preferred to run post 2016 in an environment where he knew his Westminster ambitions were limited by a Milliband victory in 2011, with a clear 4 years to rebuild the SLab party prior to 2020 where you'd expect the SNP, after 13 years of government would be vulnerable. At the minute, Lamont has screwed him by the timing of her departure, it now makes that SLab job far more of a risk than an alternative semi- retirement gig that Murphy might have enjoyed if Westmisnter advancement was finally beyond him.

[Reynard]

There are a lot fo risks for Murphy in running.

If he runs and gets beat by, say, Findlay - that's pretty much game over for his political career.

If he runs and wins, giving up his MP seat in the process, then he has to then win the 2016 Holyrood election, which looks like a struggle at the minute. Lose that, and he will need to resign as is the fashion of modern politics and then, that's career over for him, 18 months down the line.

If he runs and wins, but Milliband loses in 2015 and the latter departs, then that faction of the party will be eclipsed and Murphy will find himself frozen out of the running for the 'big jobs' down south which clearly have always been his priority.

Murphy would surely have preferred to run post 2016 in an environment where he knew his Westminster ambitions were limited by a Milliband victory in 2011, with a clear 4 years to rebuild the SLab party prior to 2020 where you'd expect the SNP, after 13 years of government would be vulnerable. At the minute, Lamont has screwed him by the timing of her departure, it now makes that SLab job far more of a risk than an alternative semi- retirement gig that Murphy might have enjoyed if Westmisnter advancement was finally beyond him.

That's how I view it too. I'm sure Murphy is still ambitious at a higher level than Holyrood.

In the same way that I can't see Salmond waltzing about the canteen there rubbing shoulders with the rabble as he orders his pie and beans, I just cant see the place being a big draw for any politician with "talent" or more likely, ambition.

Been arguing much the same with some Labour types elsewhere who are putting forward names like wee Doogie etc. I'm saying to them that this guy could potentially be foreign secretary in about six months time FFS, why the f**k would he want to give that up for an opposition gig at a glorified council? Murphys position is less clear cut because Miliband and him obviously don't "get on", so I suppose he has to take a gamble here. I personally think he would be daft to take on Holyrood. Its a dead end job politically.

[jmothecat]

I think Murphy would be mad to do it personally. I think of the likely options he would be the best choice for Scottish Labour but I can't see the benefit for him. He would basically be removing himself from contention for any decent position in Westminster. Even if he does a good job he will oversee losses for Labour in Scotland in the next general election, which although largely won't be his fault, he will be blamed for. Labour won't win the next Holyrood election (as far as I'm concerned the aim should be to stop the SNP having a majority), and again I think Murphy will be blamed for that if he is leader.

In saying that I hope he does become leader because he is a half-decent politician and Scottish Labour haven't had anyone half-decent for years as leader. Findlay would be a disaster, but already the leftists in the party are getting moist at the prospect of propelling him to the leadership. Lots of mutterings about taking Labour into an old fashioned socialist party in Scotland again, because apparently that is the way to save Scottish Labour from the SNP. In reality what the SNP, I think, have done well is to get socially conscious middle class Guardian pinko types in Scotland to vote for them rather than Labour.

[H Wragg]

Salmond was never in the Labour Party

I do apologise.

I thought the question related to parliamentary rules.

You probably guessed that.