She was not up to the job
Fraser Nelson 12:13pm
I’m in Edinburgh right now, and read the morning press with suspicion. It’s full of quotes from Wendy Alexander’s friends saying she would not stand down at all. Hmm. What summed it up for me was a brilliant piece by Angus Macleod (my successor) in The Times. After the complaint against Wee Wendy declaring her donations was upheld, he said, “her chances of ever becoming First Minister are next to nil. Until her allies confront that brutal reality and be brave enough to do something about it they can do nothing but await the next Wendy Alexander crisis.” She must have decided the same, and with Holyrood in recess she’ll have taken an early holiday.
I never rated her, and was mystified by this claim that she was very clever, which seemed to be based on the fact that she spoke quickly. She once produced what purported to be a think-tank pamphlet explaining Ireland’s economic success, without mentioning it has the lowest corporation tax in Europe. Instead Ireland has “parked its border issue” – so by turning its back on the SNP, Scotland could do the same. Nonsense. And after that disaster over saying she wanted a referendum on independence, her great protector Gordon Brown stood firmly by her by saying she must do what’s best for her family. The upside to this is that we may get her memoirs, revealing what really went on there.
I served a one year your of duty as a reporter in the Scottish Parliament, and arrived in 2000 full of enthusiasm about devolution. This tuned to despair fairly quickly – it wasn’t devolution. It was a coup d’etat by the civil service, who were “led” by venal morons. They say a nation gets the parliament it deserves, but this is emphatically not true for Scotland. Although I am a firm unionist I can completely see why Scotland has chosen the SNP. They are at least competent government, with leaders who are not a national embarrassment. Alex Salmond is one of the smartest guys in politics: you don’t cringe when you see him represent your country. That can’t be said for the post-Dewar leaders Labour has bestowed upon this great country – like Henry McLeish (who makes Brown sound like Cicero) and Jack McConnell.
She’s not corrupt, or dodgy. Her £950 is paltry compared to other sums. I certainly heard sexist abuse about her (even Salmond would refer to her meetings with female Labour MSPs as a “coven”). But in the last analysis she was not up to the job – and it way well be that no one else in the Scottish Labour Party is up to the job either.
To understand how Scots have come to regard Wendy Alexander, I can do no better than point you to this YouTube clip (about 50 seconds in). The first comment on YouTube is “brilliant – the most sense she has ever spoken.”
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THX1138
June 28th, 2008 12:42pm Report this commentMore pressure on Spelman to go then.
I can't believe she is still about.
Why doesn't Dave put her out of her misery?
Water
June 28th, 2008 1:12pm Report this commentSo she's not going anywhere.
jim aldridge
June 28th, 2008 1:31pm Report this commentDoesn't look like it.
tally
June 28th, 2008 1:46pm Report this commentGordon is not up to the job either.
Frank Pulley
June 28th, 2008 2:02pm Report this commentHeartening to see that the Scotia Nostra are turning on themselves. Pity they don't use the same methods as Cosa Nostra to rid themselves of discredited members. We could do with a bit of culling down here, too. A couple of McDons 'need to go'. Sorry Fraser, on the whole you Jocks are a canny and likeable tribe, but some of your compatriots are deserving of a little porridge for breakfast - in Barlinney!
Michael Hargrave
June 28th, 2008 2:56pm Report this commentI really think that a bit of sanity needs to be injected here.
The practise of allowances are fairly widespread in our society and when claiming them, people politicians included tend to be guided by the management minions of the organisation. Some will say, "just divide your allowance by 12 and claim that monthly" or similarly, "you haven't claimed your full allowance this month, so you had better get it in to me shortly".
People will claim expenses because they can, and in the main will be fairly ethical about it. It is to be noted of course that new MPs will be feeling their way about these things and will rely more than their more experienced colleagues on the advice of house management staff. Afterwards of course they will discuss in the bars and restaurants with each other what they are claiming.
I have not doubt that every single MP, into whose expenses you would care to look, since they entered parliament would have some claims that were a bit dubious, and I think it is about time that this issue has a line drawn under it and year zero should be 2008, with clear rules which everyone can understand and follow.
What's the point in saying to Caroline Spelman - "aha you claimed for a nanny 10 years ago"? None of this was in the news at that time, and it does nobody any favours, let alone the reputation of parliament to carry on nit picking, even if Michael Crick gets his kicks from such things.
I think we should all grow up.
Max Kaye
June 28th, 2008 3:01pm Report this commentWas that YouTube clip of wee Dougie wearing a Beatle wig?
Tina
June 28th, 2008 3:49pm Report this commentWell the spotlight will now be on the SNP. They will have to put their money where their mouth is, in the upcoming Glasgow by election. Salmond needs to prove he and the SNP can do in Scotland what Cameron and the Tories are doing in England. If they win the Glasgow seat it will be the Scottish version of Crewe and Nantwich, but are the SNP up to it?????
Tiberius
June 28th, 2008 4:22pm Report this commentIf Harridan has her way, Wendy won't be last woman to exit the stage having been judged "not up to the job".
ChrisD
June 28th, 2008 4:31pm Report this commentWendy Alexander going should surprise no one, they are a ruthless bunch in the Scottish Labour party. They really were not happy at the way Wendy Alexander came to the leadership up there without a proper contest. She got a year to prove herself, and she failed abysmally while the party has become an even bigger political joke in the process.
No, they were not going to tolerate this situation continuing any longer because unlike their Westminster colleagues, they already know what a defeat feels like. Under Wendy they never even got of the floor following the elections last year, they were looking at being stretchered off in the next elections if this had gone on much longer. They might have to be, but they are at least trying to address the problems at long last.
They may not be able to beat the SNP lead by Salmond in three years time, but they still want to be relevant and a force in Scottish politics in the future despite what happens in a GE.
The Labour party in Westminster could do with looking more closer at that is happening among their MSP's in Holyrood.
The Scottish Labour party has found its cojones again, while it appears that the PLP have collectively decided not to even bother to search for theirs! They remain missing in action since they allowed Gordon to have a coranation rather than make him work to prove his credentials to be a worthy successor to Blair. If found, don't bother to return them, because I suspect they no longer even know how to use them even if they did develop some backbone at this late stage!
John Page
June 28th, 2008 4:40pm Report this commentBrown's comment that "her contribution ... will be greatly missed" suggests that she's leaving politics?
BTW (I don't follow machinations in the Scotch Parliament and have no ambition to) was she unfairly treated for following the clerks' advice, or not?
Michael Hargrave
June 28th, 2008 5:58pm Report this commentTo John Page:
It was recommended she be suspended for one day, on a day when she would not have been required to attend.
Tory Supporter
June 28th, 2008 6:06pm Report this commentMy God if Labour were to lose in the EastEnd of Glasgow, (Henley it ain't), surely all hell would break lose in the party. Go SNP!
Pam
June 28th, 2008 6:11pm Report this commentChrisD, absolutley spot on!
oldtimer
June 28th, 2008 6:35pm Report this commentGuido says she has only herself to blame and prints the letter she wrote to Paul Green as evidence for this.
Chuck Unsworth
June 28th, 2008 6:41pm Report this commentAlexander sought the Clerk's advice long after the deadline for declaration. Further, the question she asked was not 'should/must I declare' it was 'has anyone declared'. An entirely different question and position.
BrianSJ
June 28th, 2008 7:40pm Report this commentThank you for highlighting the "coup d’etat by the civil service, who were “led” by venal morons."
It looks like independence is the only way of solving this, and it would be worth the hassle to dump the Sir Humphreys.
Anan
June 28th, 2008 9:06pm Report this commentJudging by past "resignations" from this government/Party I have a feeling she'll be back soon enough. Good riddance while it lasts!
Frank Pulley
June 28th, 2008 9:10pm Report this commentThey're aaaaaallll at it! Ecrasez l'infame.
JohnA
June 29th, 2008 12:26am Report this commentAt least I can understand what Salmon says - and quite witty it often is, however much I disagree with him: Wendy cannot speak distinctly, and the bits I can understand sound paranoid and semi-educated. Surely Labour can get a better leader than that in Scotland?
phil
June 29th, 2008 11:53am Report this comment.What a sad reflection on Scottish politics when for such a pathetic reason a leader has to stand down-if she were not good enough ok ,but for forgetting a contribution of 950, venal is hardly descriptive enough -it is we citizens who are demeaned by this shameful process.
A
June 29th, 2008 9:46pm Report this commentI think you are wrong Fraser. Wendy made a couple of misjudgements which the SNP ruthlessly exploited and which the husk of the Labour Party under Brown were unable or unwilling to deal with. But she was clearly up to the job of leading Scotland.
And if Salmond doesn't embarrass you I fear for your mental health.
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