Shuffling the dreck
On the rare occasions when we can briefly drag ourselves away from the Wings Over Scotland coalface and the brutal, unforgiving lash of our slavedriver readers, we enjoy a social game of poker. And if there’s one thing we’ve learned from poker, it’s that shuffling a terrible hand doesn’t magically transform it into a good one. We’ve tried.
So we suspect the SNP will be rather less than quaking in their boots at today’s news that Labour have decided to reunite the dream team of Johann Lamont and Iain Gray that was such a resounding success when they were the party’s leader and deputy leader (not in that order) in 2011.
It’s hard to summon up a great deal of interest in the other moves, save to note that someone with Jackie Baillie‘s instinctive facility for factual inexactitude will surely be at home in the position of “manifesto co-ordinator”, rather than the ironic health brief.
By far the most intriguing thing will be whether we get to hear any more in public about the “disagreements on direction” with Lamont that outgoing finance spokesman Ken Macintosh mentioned in a rather barbed parting comment on his way to the back benches. And with the diligent and dogged Scottish media on the case, we’re sure we won’t have long to wait.
Same shite different day
Buster bloogs
A terrific Better Together T shirt!
London Labour are a busted flush.
Will Iain Gray be ordering one of those fetching pink BT jackets?
@ Rev Stu – I was going to give you the brutal and unforgiving lash as one of the slavish slavedriver readers over the use of the ‘dreck’ word in your heading. However it took all of 10seconds to find your use of the word was totally appropriate. DRECK…..MIDDLE GERMAN FOR TRASH, RUBBISH, SH!T.
Ian Gray, what a gift, he’ll be even worse than MacIntosh.
Jackie Baillie gets social justice, equalities and welfare. She must be delighted, bags of scope for a liar in this brief.
Well least she’ll have Iain Gray to blame.
Dream team of Johann Lamont and Iain Gray equates to the nine of diamonds for Alba.
Does that mean they have a fool house?
“You have been dealt a sorry hand, Mr Macintosh.”
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xzQEcMMKbDA/Uc28JJJxSZI/AAAAAAAAAM8/jv1HnCiLaLs/s1071/Madam_Mim_The_Sword_in_the_Stone.jpg
Very good Geoff.
A favourite quote of mine that I used to have pined up in my office back in the day when I worked.
“We trained hard…but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form into teams we would be reorganised. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganising; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency and demoralisation”
Arbiter, Gauis Petronias. (ca.27-66)
Shh! Don’t tell Slab.
I prefer Ian Gray to J-Low. He at least didn’t toss insults about all over the place and his speechifying was less long and less boring and just less horrible than the current vile spit and venom from the Evil Hobbit in the Beatle Wig.
Thank god, lamont and her deputy are still in place , it would have been very hard to replace them at their level !!! eh bullet dodged there.
And welcome back to Elmer ???? in charge of finance too, I can’t wait.
Vote Yes – Vote Scotland.
Hail Alba.
PS. “newsnet didnt like this post” ???
Ken McIntosh will no longer feel he has to say on TV what he doesn’t really believe.
Iain Gray worked for Alistair Darling at the Scottish Office. Darling backed Gray for LOLITSP. Anything that comes out of Iain Gray’s gob in the future will be scripted first at Better Together Towers/Tory Central Office.
“Scottish Labour finance spokesman Ken MacIntosh, meanwhile, described the plans as ‘a disaster for Scotland.'”
http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/spending-review-snp-says-scots-to-keep-pay-rises-1-2976965
Tory Central Office: “WTF! Get him sacked now!”
Bizarre! I was just blogging re Asterix joining us that while the no camp had plenty of cartoon characters most of them weren’t funny – then they do this.
““You have been dealt a sorry hand, Mr Macintosh.””
Totally stealing that pic 😀
yup, same old hand, no doubt some more bluffing to come then.
With dreams like that who needs nightmares
Archie
To be more accurate, “dreck”, comes to English from Yiddish. Other appropriate words that might be used of Mr Gray are “nebbish”, “schlemiel” and “schmuck”
Gray has been to the killing fields ye ken. Has he been subbed?
Someone needs to ask Johann and Ian , what’s their opinion on the human race from an outsiders point of view. As for ken it will be business as usual, he widnae get a brassneck at a bonfire.
I’m curious. Was this very extensive re-shuffle carried out on the orders of Lamont OR were they carried out BY Lamont on the instructions from Milliband?
Re “You have been dealt a sorry hand, Mr Macintosh.”
My God, it’s Kezia Dugdale!
Oh goody! We’ll have Elmer brandishing A4s once again! 😀
Hugh Henry was someone I thought was sort of principled and “old Labour”, but sold out when offered a front-bench position in 2011, and I was dissappointed. Never fear, he’s now been replaced by that shrill New Labour party appratchik Kezia Dugdale. (Who many suspect to have been a swivel-eyed Labour unionist commentator on certain MSM boards before she became an MSP…)
Poor Ken McIntosh, the real boss in London never even remembered his name, he lost the leadership “competition” and now he’s been shuffled safely to the back benches. Still, I think he’s a lot more personable than J-La, and would’ve made a better SLAB leader. If SLAB knew what’s good for them. (Similarly, Ruthie is essentially a Westmister endorsed leader. Hell, Murdo Fraser wanted to create a new Scottish Conservative party! No wonder he lost among his own!)
And whatever are SLAB going to do with Richard Baker? He’s a guy who will not have his ambition thwarted! He won’t take this lying down!
Jackie Baillie will continue to spout innuendo, half-truths, lies and more innuendo, no matter what her shadow portfolio is. Even if Scotland votes YES in 2014, Jackie Baillie will surface. I just don’t understand how such a repulsive person can be so popular among voters, but then, I’m not a very good liar and Jackie is.
This whole resuffle… I can’t help thinking that it’s been ordered from the London HQ, not from J-La’s bunker in Scotland.
Poor Ken.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HlNKkHGuu5c/Uc36tjuivZI/AAAAAAAAANM/CETOKp0MIP4/s960/Game_of_Drones_1.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZNwPifD3vsE/Uc36tsSXcgI/AAAAAAAAANU/1N9omA64EIU/s960/Game_of_Drones_2.jpg
Ah Yes the infamous Iain Gray, who if memory serve me took sanctury in a sandwich shop, to hide from the pressure of the press, and by the looks of Jackie Baillie who’s, girth grows by the day, she was already in the sandwich shop, sampling the delights of, the food for thought, a formidable duo,, gastronomically that is.
Oh, and I meant to say… What’s all this saying?
Can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, or something like that.
No matter how much you shuffle the cards, SLAB is a sorry hand. I don’t expext this resuffle to change anything at SLAB, unless for the worse. SLAB have become so blind to anything but a) hate hate hate the SNP; and b) help Labour get into power, power, power in England… erm, the UK. They’re a party devoid of any principles or ideals. I hate the Tories but at least they’ve got principles and ideals, have to give them that.
When did they start putting more than two jokers in a pack of cards? No doubt Ian will supply the sarnies at there shadow meetings.
No one knew the name of the grey MAN the last time round, I guess that will not change this time round!
Andy-B @ 10.17pm
Iain Gray didn’t hide from the press. He hid from a handful of old age pensioners protesting against Tory cuts.
He’s back baby! 😀
Kezia Dugdale promoted from Fifi la Bonbon ,the relentless troll,to what?
Kier Hardy and John Mackintosh revolving in their graves. Oh how my old heroic Labour Party has been laid low. Real sobs at the betrayal of the working class.
Of course I will vote YES. I have some principles left.
“Labour’s front-bench reshuffle is all about attempting to demonstrate that the party is a potential government in waiting.”
Really, the Scotsman; I mean, *really* really? And you’re not even joking, are you?!
Truly a Laugh Out Loud-inducing sentence. Comedy gold.
Really, the Scotsman; I mean, *really* really?
It did say “attempting”. In the same way that you could give an elephant three balls and ‘attempt’ to teach it to juggle.
Oh my gawd, this just gets better and better; la Baillie, la Keiza, la la Lament and el Fudd!
Anymore of this and they’ll be calling for a stewards enquiry!!!
Some more comedy gold from the Scotsman:
“However, it’s often forgotten that Mr Gray is a skilled performer at Holyrood and during his time as Labour leader he often landed a few punches on Mr Salmond at First Minister’s Question Time.”
I find it fascinating that this reshuffle is being reported as, ‘the team being built for the 2016 Hollyrood election’.
It’s always bad politics to tell voters that you have already decided that you have won a vote, (referendum) So why would Labour do this ?
Surely it can’t be that internal polling by Labour/BT is showing a similar trend as the SNP’s polls, with more women and youth opting for Yes?
I mean if this happened the shuffle would have had an emphasis on people who would appeal to women and youth…oh wait a minute!!!
The claim that this reshuffle is looking towards 2016 in IMO, is an attempt to pre-empt any claim by Yes/SNP, that Labour /BT is losing the female /youth vote, so is putting people in place, who will try to claw these voters back, or at least attempt to stop the rate they are haemorrhaging.
Jackie B and her infamous lies, will be another line of attack with fear bombs aimed at women in particular.
Ian Gray? He’s the only person who has the experience to handle finance, after Ken whatsizname was given the boot for disloyalty. it’s funny how his statements expressed continued loyalty to Labour and how he has always been loyal…why say this?
Is Ken making sure that any briefing against him claiming he was a bad influence within the party or disloyal to JL will look silly.. Before he launches his own briefing against JL in the press?
Time will tell.
I think I’ll get the pop-corn in though, cos it’s gonna be entertaining watching Labour tearing itself apart over this and the Falkirk problems.
“Stevie says:
28 June, 2013 at 6:07 pm
I prefer Ian Gray to J-Low. He at least didn’t toss insults about all over the place and his speechifying was less long and less boring and just less horrible than the current vile spit and venom from the Evil Hobbit in the Beatle Wig.”
Now Stevie what have you been told about obfuscation
spit it out man spit it out
🙂 🙂 🙂
Erchie says:
28 June, 2013 at 8:30 pm
“Archie To be more accurate, “dreck”, comes to English from Yiddish. Other appropriate words that might be used of Mr Gray are “nebbish”, “schlemiel” and “schmuck”
What about goyim already? he’s not one of us after all
oy vey!
patrick roden says
“It’s always bad politics to tell voters that you have already decided that you have won a vote, (referendum) So why would Labour do this ?”
We just have to wait for jlow to give a resounding
well aaaaaaallright
ALL RIGHT
to know we’ve got them on the ropes ,
then they’re going down,
downtown 🙂
as far as the punter with his quarter of a million bet, be prepared for penury pal
who would you bet your money on?
the man who doesn’t want to lose or,
or THE MAN WHO WANTS TO WIN?
just looking at that (funny) clip from utube with the Benny Hill sound track and wondered
what is it with SLAB and sandwich shops?
is it a retreat to a place where they feel safe?
are they aware of the dangers of comfort eating?
not looking at you Jackie Bailey!
day after the referendum
37 subs with cheese ham and mayo and 37 tubs of ice cream for holyrood please and make it snappy
Marcia says:
28 June, 2013 at 6:20 pm
“Ken McIntosh will no longer feel he has to say on TV what he doesn’t really believe.”
I very much doubt you’ll see any possible discerning Labour commenters back on our impartial TV this side of the referendum.
Any shuffle that sees Richard Baker take a back seat has got to be an improvement. What will be interesting is how Ken Mackintosh, who clearly should have been leader rather than Johann, takes his demotion.
PS: nice headline!
Could Richard Baker do with some assistance in his new imperial post?Well,now that Julia Gillard does not need his services in Oz perhaps John McTernan could be persuaded to return to the aid of the Party in Scotland?
He does have a brilliant record on and in Scotland. Honest!
Anent DRECK and it’s etymology I would respectfully point out that in Scots a DREKTER is a drake’s penis or, if you like , a ducks dick! … Just sayin’ like
@ Mosstrooper: by your definition then, Ms Lamont has been shuffling the drekter! Surely not!
Nicola Sturgeon just tweeting congratulations to the three who are now shadowing her.
Nicola Sturgeon just tweeting congratulations to the three who are now shadowing her.
LoL. They will need more than three Labour MSP’s to match Nicola.
Do we think that they’ve looked at the SNP and thought “They’ve got a former party leader as Finance Minister, and he’s doing a grand job of it. Maybe we should do the same?” 🙂
A classic case of Newton’s third law!
Action: The Jackie Baillie – Health spokesperson conundrum gone.
Equal & Opposite Reaction: Ian Gray – Finance spokesperson conundrum created.
As Newton’s law predicts, SLAB remains a puzzle.
Science is brilliant 🙂
It is interesting to read Gardham’s sychophantic drivel in the front of the Herald and Rob Dunwoodie’s altogether more rigorous assessment inside the paper.
SLAB lives on its own planet obviously, encouraged to remain on it by a generous media who doesn’t appear to understand that supporting mistakes by Labour and publicising political halfwittery on Labour’s behalf damages Labour in the long run.
Re “dreck”.
I wonder if “drokk” from Judge Dredd is related to this word too? 🙂
Re the actual article.
Didn’t someone say once that “reheated mince is still mince”? I reckon this applies here too.
What joy to know that the rapier mind of Mr Gray will cut through the finance responsibilities of the Opposition based on his mathematical acumen from a quote broadcast on a BBC devolution debate some years ago –
“Has it (the Scottish Parliament) made any difference? He asked rhetorically. Yes it has. When the Parliament started one in five children in this country lived in poverty. That’s now one in three. That’s significant progress.”
I reckon John Swinney can’t wait!
Clarinda : can’t believe he actually said that – priceless.
O/TJust heard the British Lions fans singing that favourite rugby song that is so dear to our hearts,Swing Low Sweet Chariot,, it didn’t do their team any good they just got grubbed.
All set up next week for an Australian series win.
“O/TJust heard the British Lions fans singing that favourite rugby song that is so dear to our hearts,Swing Low Sweet Chariot,”
That must have really offended all the Scottish representatives on the p- oh, right.
I wonder if Brian Taylor ever found the document Iain waved about at FMQ’s and he claimed to have seen The document didn’t exist for the information of any who missed it at the time
If you should read this Brian like elephants we have long memories especially where lies are concerned
I agree with: Dave McEwan Hill says:
29 June, 2013 at 11:47 am
It is interesting to read Gardham’s sycophantic drivel in the front of the Herald and Rob Dunwoodie’s altogether more rigorous…
The front page of Saturday’s Herald reads like a Soviet era Pravda front page. It’s like the dinosaurs are still alive, like a report from a city that time forgot. The editorial is just straight propaganda. Really sickening. Stop buying this paper please!
I wonder if dreck shares the same root as dreich?
Annie – apparently it was in 2009 that Mr Gray made this particular gaffe. However the specific local authorities in which the worst levels of child (and general) poverty have for some considerable time been in existence appeared to have passed this Labour MSP by – should we wonder why? It might be interesting to ask the regenerated Mr Gray, as he rises chiff-chafflike from the ashes, what financial marvels he intends to suggest to alleviate child poverty while the overall power to help and hinder resides at Westminster.
@Lumilumi
Yes of course you are correct, thanks for posting that clip, it just reminded me of Iain Gray’s formidable prowess as a politician.
Richard Bruce
I agree about the Herald but passed a Scotsman billboard proclaiming fury about a 5p charge on plastic bags (something they have in Wales, NI and ROI). You just can’t beat the Scotsman for using trivial subjects to attack the SNP!
Seanair says:
I gave up on the Scotsman when Andrew Neil got his hands on it, it fell down a gaping hole then and seems to still be falling.
Iain Gray has no financial background or credentials.
In March 2003 the then Transport Minister Iain Gray awards £375m from the Scottish Executive’s integrated transport fund to Edinburgh city council to build tram lines to serve the north and west, “the first to be running by 2009”. Mr Gray also says the money would pay for “at least” the North Edinburgh Loop.
The Labour council believes this will also pay for a line from Haymarket to the airport.
In March 2006 the Tram Bill is passed by MSPs voting 88 to 20 in favour. New Transport Minister Tavish Scott raises funding to £490m, The SNP (and in particular Kenny MacAskill MSP) opposed the Bill on grounds that business case did not stack up but were heavily defeated by Labour, Tory and Lib Dem MSPs.
On 21 December 2006 Edinburgh City Councillors overwhelmingly back the Tram Business Case (except the one SNP councillor, Steve Cardownie). At the time Edinburgh had the best bus service in the UK.
Despite a pre-election commitment to scrap the project, the new SNP government is outvoted and steamrollered by 81 votes to 47 as Tories join Labour and the Lib-Dems to insist the stunted tram project goes ahead. But Scottish Government funding was pegged to a maximum of £500 million.
The North Edinburgh loop and original line to Leith have been scrapped and the current line will only run from Airport to St Andrews Square
Current costs £750 million to £1 billion so Edinburgh council taxpayers lumbered for generations to come.