So, Wendy Alexander’s standing firm in the face of calls for her to quit. Not good, says Alan Cochrane in today’s Telegraph. His article is among the angriest you’ll read all year – a perfect kickstart to the day. Here are some highlights:
“Wendy Alexander has landed Labour and Gordon Brown into one of the biggest political messes this observer has ever witnessed in 30 years of political reporting. And over a subject that should be at the very top – indeed is, at least as far as the Prime Minister is concerned – of the party’s list of priorities: the maintenance of the United Kingdom.
But this lady has been prepared to risk even that in a desperate bid to rescue her own hapless leadership, which has grown more inept with every week that passes…
…Last night there was no sign whatsoever of the limpet-like Ms Alexander “considering her position” – the normal euphemism for resignation.
With an arrogance that defies belief she was refusing to accept that she’d done anything wrong, just like she did when she thought that the most important thing the new Scottish Parliament should do was repeal a ban on teaching about homosexuality in schools.
Just like she did when she refused to accept Henry McLeish’s order to accept the environment portfolio a few years ago.
Just like she did when she first of all said she’d contest the Labour leadership against Jack McConnell and then let down all her allies by backing down at the 11th hour.
Just like she did when she later walked out of Mr McConnell’s cabinet.
And just like she did last year when she was found to have accepted illegal campaign donations…
…Whatever else we need in Scotland, we desperately need an effective opposition to counter the distinct appeal of Alex Salmond and the threat he poses to the Union. Ms Alexander has not only made the Labour Party a laughing stock; her antics are undermining support for the United Kingdom. For that reason alone she should go, and an Alex Salmond demolition job at First Minister’s Questions today might just do the trick.”
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