Scotland 1 England 0

Well that's the score in Labour leaders the countries have lost so far this year. I say England for Gordon Brown as we are now devolved and, thankfully, he has less and less influence in Scotland now since, the Labour Party was sent into a tail-spin at last years Scottish Elections. For once I am sincerely hoping that England can equalise, and very soon as well.

Wendy was the archtypical over-promoted politician and was really only typical Scottish Labour lobby fodder. She resigned from one ministerial position when it became rather obvious she was ill-equipped for the job.

Her promotion to leader of the Scottish Labour party was another complete farce especially when she managed to muck it up completely by accepting illegal donations and not correctly reporting others. Her punishment for this was very much the tap on the back of the hand.

Now we come to her actual resignation. According to Wendy

My pursuers have sought the prize of political victory with little thought to the standing of the parliament. Some may feel they have achieved a political victory but wiser heads will surely question 'at what price? It is clear that vexatious complaints will continue to dominate the headlines as long as I remain Labour's Scottish Parliamentary Leader. I cannot ask Labour supporters in Scotland for further forbearance.

She later told BBC Scotland that she thought the parliamentary process had been

"cynically abused" by political opponents who had used "investigation as political tactic". Ms Alexander admitted she had made mistakes but said there had also been "politically-motivated" complaints".

Now if she can't accept she has done wrong that's OK. She is, like Gordon Brown, a Son/Daughter of the Manse, who have a strange outlook on the real world, that what they believe is right and what others believe is wrong. This means she can lie about things but still be right just as Gordon can keep coming up with his "Brownies".

Wendy would like us to believe that the SNP have forced her out of her position. In reality much of the leaking and information about her donations and problems has come from inside the Scottish Labour party, the fact that other parties have decided to "help" her out of her position is just not surprising. I suspect, that in reality, Wendy has had a visit from the men in "Grey Kilts" who have quietly suggested that she should resign her position. I suspect she will not be very happy about this and, as such, may resign as an MSP as well at a suitable time.

I for one will not be sorry to her gone, especially as hopefully now I won't have to listen to the wee gobshite anymore!

James Mitchell: Wendy Alexander's resignation ends a leadership which failed to live up to expectations | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

Wendy says Soul-searching is Over

A couple of days ago I heard Wendy on the radio and wondered if she had had elocution lessons as her voice has considerably toned down.

Now we hear that, according to Wendy, Labour's soul searching in Scotland is over! Not if the image shown here is anything to go by.

One wonderful quote from the interview when asked How much support and help do you get from Gordon Brown?

Wendy Replies:

I talk to the Prime Minister when I have to. I suspect the last time I spoke to him was a month ago. It's not a daily conversation.

Seems to me she is trying to distance herself from him if at all possible.


Wendy Alexander interview: 'Soul-searching is over and we're on way back' - Scotsman.com News

Kebabgate - Hain and the Fifth Man

Nearly a day went by without some more embarrassing revelations for Labour.

Now Peter Hain, the Work and Pensions Secretary, admits

that he had not registered all the donations to his unsuccessful deputy leadership campaign with electoral watchdogs as is legally required. Mr Hain said his failure to register the payments was "extremely regrettable" and apologised, while sources stressed the failure to declare the money was an "administrative error".

And a fifth man may be involved in the David Abrahams donation crimes.

George Crawford, a Newcastle-based lawyer, went to the police amid claims that his name may have been used to illicitly donate money to the party.

He is demanding an investigation after a man of the same name was registered as giving Labour £36,000 in 2004. Mr Crawford believes he may have been used as a secret conduit by Mr Abrahams to donate money to Labour.

The lawyer suspects that the money was given in his name and has now reported the matter to the police as suspected identity theft by someone trying to conceal their donations. Northumbria Police said they would be forwarding the complaint to Scotland Yard.

So just another day in the Sleazy Life of Labour in the Kebabgate scandal. I think they are trying to bore us with the number of scandals and are trying to make it seem like "normal" behaviour.

P.S. As suggested by James Burdett in a previous entry, I'd just like to say that our Wendy hasn't yet resigned despite admitting having committed a crime. Apparently 800 criminals in Barlinnie have asked to be allowed out early as they hadn't realised they were committing a crime either, Honest Gov.

Peter Hain caught up in Labour funding row - Telegraph

Kebabgate - Mad Party Disease claims another Labour Leader

Interesting article from Iain MacWhirter in the Herald.

Two pieces of the article stand out. Th first points out that it is Labours own Laws that may put them in prison. Labour have to remember that these are not rules as they keep saying.

What a desperate situation: was no-one in the Labour Party prepared to step up to the plate and defend their own leader? Labour appeared to be in denial, unwilling or unable to face up to the enormity of the situation. This isn't any old law we are talking about, but one of Labour's own flagship statutes: the Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. This makes clear that any attempt to conceal the identity of a political donor is against the law, as is acceptance of a donation from anyone who is not on the electoral register.

This is not some obscure piece of redundant legislation but a fresh and potent statute designed by Labour to drive sleaze out of politics altogether. Breaching this law carries an unlimited fine or one year in jail. The way things are going, a number of senior Scottish Labour politicians face losing their political careers and gaining a criminal record.

Then we have the following which indicates that someone out there really doesn't like Wendy (join the queue!) and that Labour have been in disarray since their defeat by the SNP.

We know that all is not well in the Labour leader's inner circle, since this story has been driven by a series of damaging leaks from people with access to the most sensitive inside information. The Sunday Herald document, for example, could not have been widely circulated within Labour, but it found its way into the public domain. Someone somewhere harbours a very deep grudge against Alexander and is prepared to go to extraordinary lengths to settle accounts.

I'm afraid this has been the Scottish Labour story since devolution - factionalism, cronyism, incompetence and personal vendettas. They can't seem to help themselves. The party seems to have lost the will to live. Alexander was their best hope in years for a clean break from the old numpty machine politics, but it has broken her instead.

Mad Party Disease Claims Another Labour Leader (from The Herald )

Scottish Kebabgate - The Elf Defence

Benedict Brogan in his article compares Wendy Alexander's defence to what a policeman would say to the same defence if caught speeding. I would compare it more to this story from last year.

The BBC reports the defence used in the following case:

A man accused of a stealing underwear from a shop in a knifepoint raid believed he was a female elf at the time, Belfast Crown Court has heard.

It went on to say:

Robert Boyd, 45, from Broadlands in Carrickfergus, is accused of holding up staff at the Orchid shop in Belfast disguised in a wig, hat and glasses.

He told the court he had been involved in a role-playing game at the time, and his character was an elf named Beho.

He denies robbery but says he may have blurred reality and fantasy.

He also said it "could be right" that Beho had intended to rob the shop - although he told the jury he could not remember what was going through his mind at the time.

I can think of a few other people in our government who might need to use a similar type of defence shortly.

By the way the defence failed!


Benedict Brogan's political blog

Scottish Kebabgate - Scottish First Ministers Questions

An interesting exchange in Scottish First Ministers Question Time on Thursday (edited highlights only)

The First Minister: In passing, I congratulate Wendy Alexander on her success in dominating the news agenda in Scotland.

Ms Alexander: I will return to the issue of domestic violence shortly, but let me make an observation. I have asked for the permissibility of the donation to my election campaign to be checked, and we await the outcome of the Electoral Commission’s investigation.

In the meantime, Presiding Officer, given the First Minister’s remarks, let me make a further observation. When my team began compiling the information for our campaign return, we asked the Electoral Commission about the previous major party leadership contest held in Scotland, by the Scottish National Party, in 2004. Following a three-month election campaign—which involved the publication of personal manifestos, websites and campaign literature, and attendance at hustings—Alex Salmond, Roseanna Cunningham and Alex Neil, and the candidates for the deputy leadership, Nicola Sturgeon and Fergus Ewing, did not between them submit a single return or report any donations to the Electoral Commission. I find that an odd state of affairs for a party that is now lecturing us on transparency.

The First Minister:
Wendy Alexander’s elaborate remarks on the leadership contest surely just prove that SNP members spent less on fighting elections than Wendy Alexander managed to spend on not fighting one.
Later On
Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): On a point of order, Presiding Officer. During her questions to the First Minister, Wendy Alexander said that she had checked with the Electoral Commission and found that I did not spend any money in the SNP leadership contest in 2004. The reason for that is that I was not a candidate for the leadership in 2004. [Interruption.]

The Presiding Officer: Order.

Alex Neil: For the record, I publicly backed Mr Salmond. I have no doubt that that was a major factor contributing to his success.

The Presiding Officer: That is not a point of order, but it is now on the record.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Mr Neil is, of course, right. The candidate was Mike Russell. Perhaps we might be forgiven on two counts. First, it is so difficult to tell Mr Neil and Mr Russell apart as they sit together right on the shoulder of the First Minister. Secondly, everyone in the chamber knows that Alex Neil has pretensions to the throne.

However, the key point, Presiding Officer—

The Presiding Officer: Do you have a point of order, Ms Baillie?

Jackie Baillie: Indeed I do. The SNP needs to confirm that, in a three-month election leadership campaign, every candidate was entirely self funded—

The Presiding Officer: This is not a point of order for me, Ms Baillie.

Jackie Baillie:—and that each of those candidates, including Mike Russell—

The Presiding Officer: This is not a point of order for me. I ask you to close.

Jackie Baillie:—received no donations and no support—

The Presiding Officer: That brings us to the end of First Minister’s question time.

Hat tip to Mark McDonald.


The Scottish Parliament - Official Report

Kebabgate - The Wendy Apology

This is supposed to be an apology to us the punters who have to put up with this corrupt Labour Government. Wendy's ingracious apology and sneer of contempt show what she feels about the Scottish public.

A Wendy Apology

Scottish Kebabgate - The Wendy House is collapsing

The Herald has some details of the problems facing Ms Alexander as her rapidly disintergrating Wendy House threatens to collapse.

As Murdo Fraser said

"The only defence Wendy Alexander and her team seem to have left is that they acted in good faith, but in total ignorance, of the law. When Wendy Alexander signed her letter to Mr Green, did she not think to query the Jersey address?

"Is it credible to suggest that that Scottish Labour leader, with a long track record of political experience, would have been totally unaware of the law on political donations. Her position is precarious and I wonder if they will resort to making the fall guy fall further, as Charlie Gordon is again heaped with the blame."

Yet again Labour are trying the incompetence defence, it just will not wash.

So another Labour Junior has fallen on his skewer to try and save his seniors, Will it work this time?

Hat Tip: Scottish Tory Boy for the letter.

Alexander Feels Heat After Letter To Tax Exile Is Revealed (from The Herald )

Wendy Alexander is not laughing

Kebabgate probably gets the first lump of meat on the skewer? And a large lump at that!

Guy Fawkes' blog of parliamentary plots, rumours and conspiracy: Exclusive : Wendy Alexander Thank You Note Proves: