We’ve had to illustrate this piece with a tweet from our old chum Duncan Hothersall, because at the time of writing the Scottish Labour account on Twitter has no mention of Labour’s “five point plan”, and nor does the branch office’s website.
And the reason for the absence of any more information is probably that the “plan” is another example of a Labour policy that looks like a tasty boiled egg until you crack its shell and discover that there’s nothing inside.
Respect to John MacKay of STV, who on last night’s Scotland Tonight asked Labour MSP James Kelly the question this site has called for about whether Labour would stand aside and let the Tories rule if the latter were the largest party after May’s election, but Labour had enough seats to win a confidence vote and form the government with backing from the SNP and/or other parties.
Kelly, unsurprisingly, flapped and blustered and totally evaded it. But then we doubt he has the authority to make the tea in Scottish Labour, let alone speak for the party on key policy issues. If the question isn’t put repeatedly by all of the media to more senior Labour figures until an answer is produced, we’ll be wanting to know why.
Here’s Ed Miliband, giving a speech this morning to literally at least 20 Labour MPs, Labour MSPs, journalists and possibly a stray member of the public who accidentally walked through the wrong door in Clydebank, a place where Labour leaders used to address gatherings of thousands.
Unusually, Miliband took a few questions from the hacks, all of whom promptly wasted the opportunity by lobbing completely pointless softballs about coalitions and deals, all of which (a) have been asked a hundred times already, (b) were rendered moot by Alex Salmond on the Marr show yesterday, and (c) were only ever going to be batted away non-committally.
So here’s an actually worthwhile one they can ask instead next time.
We have to give Jim Murphy credit – on this week’s Sunday Politics he started off with the subtle, misleading but technically-accurate version of Labour’s line about the “biggest party forming the government”, which involves making the true but irrelevant observation that in the past it’s usually been the case. (Mainly because UK elections almost always give the biggest party a comfortable majority.)
But it only took a couple of minutes of questioning for the Scottish branch manager to lose his cool and resort to the comprehensively debunked flat-out lie again.
We thought you’d enjoy this clip from this morning’s Andrew Marr Show, readers. It came after a very sensible interview, in which Salmond had calmly and reasonably laid out the SNP’s view on events should there be a hung parliament this May with the former First Minister’s party holding the balance of power.
Tory minister Anna Soubry seems to be experiencing a degree of regret about having begged Scots to stay in the UK. The body language says as much as the words.
The Daily Record, still smarting from the humiliation of being forced to very quietly admit it told its readers a £20 billion lie about the Smith Commission late last year, has been in a demented overdrive trying to provoke Yes/SNP supporters this week.
It started on Tuesday with an echo of the paper’s infamous “Vow” cover, clearly aimed at winding up its detractors but which passed without much comment as social media users merely raised a brief weary eyebrow and got on with their day. But then the Record started turning up the volume.
Mark Beggan on Anything But That: “I dont remember much about operation lion-heart. I was drunk in a whore house most of the time. Deutsche girls…” Sep 6, 21:29
Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: “Can’t you read, sam? It’s Mr Beggan to you. Seriously, though. Do you honestly believe you rate being hated? Get…” Sep 6, 21:25
Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: “What is it now, Sooty? Auld Lochnagar always quick to get the shirt lifting accusations in early? Well, he did…” Sep 6, 21:18
sam on Anything But That: “No friends, no wife, no job. Just hatred and Beggan.” Sep 6, 21:01
Young Lochinvar on Anything But That: “MB Wrong (yet) again.. You probably never heard those insults on yer air cadet “Lionheart deployment” in ‘84 (to make…” Sep 6, 21:01
Young Lochinvar on Anything But That: “To the Cow (Chas) from the Confused dot com tv add: “Who’s That Whistling!!! Lighten up FFS..” Sep 6, 20:50
Young Lochinvar on Anything But That: “HMcH Corrie and Emmerdale.. Sigh! Such is life Sweep (or is it Parsley the Lion) to keep a happy marriage.…” Sep 6, 20:42
Mark Beggan on Anything But That: “No they never. You just made that up. It was a Jerry helmet and a Japs eye. That’s why all…” Sep 6, 20:41
Chas on Anything But That: “It is refreshing to see a bout of common sense and realism breaking out on Wings and…….. from an unlikely…” Sep 6, 20:25
Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: “What’s that you say, Sooty? What would Auld Lochnagar ken aboot a TV soap that only his missus watches? You’re…” Sep 6, 20:24
agentx on Anything But That: ““Jenny Gilruth is being groomed as a potential successor to John Swinney” https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/stephen-flynn-infuriates-civil-servants-37632876 —————————————— Could there be a more inappropriate…” Sep 6, 20:15
Mark Beggan on Anything But That: “If anyone turns up declaring that they are chicken farmer then we should really begin to panic.” Sep 6, 20:05
Young Lochinvar on Anything But That: “Call Quality Polis!! Hatey has Northcode locked up in his basement and has stolen his log-in details!!! It’s like a…” Sep 6, 20:03
Mark Beggan on Anything But That: “I would like to read more of what you wrote today. You are on it. Ideological europhiles are yesterday. The…” Sep 6, 20:01
Young Lochinvar on Anything But That: “MB We used to call the Germans “box heads”, they called us “island monkeys” Whits yer hat size Beggars? 12×12…” Sep 6, 20:00
Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: “There’s a precedent. Ribbentrop was a champagne salesman.” Sep 6, 19:53
Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: “Wow, Northy! The bridges are in sheets of flame today. I hope you’ve found the courage and decency to tell…” Sep 6, 19:48
Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: “Man up, Northy! Don’t let sam intimidate and cow you into agreement and obedience. Stand tall! Besides, even if he…” Sep 6, 19:40
Northcode on Anything But That: “Interesting… TURABDIN is chasing symbols: UN intervention external validation geopolitical rescue fatalistic narratives AgentX is describing strategy: democratic legitimacy internal…” Sep 6, 19:16
Northcode on Anything But That: ““Northcode, I have always enjoyed your posts.” As do I yours.” Sep 6, 19:13
Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: “Well, well. I predicted there would be a few things you wouldn’t want to talk about, sam. And my prediction…” Sep 6, 19:12
Mark Beggan on Anything But That: “It is Mr Beggan to you. You dont decide anything about this page. Threats of violence Sam is the squeak…” Sep 6, 19:04
Mark Beggan on Anything But That: “Auf Wiedersehen, Pet Who would have thought a perfume salesman would change German history. It is the end of the…” Sep 6, 18:51
sam on Anything But That: “Usually I scroll past much of what is btl comment regarding it as shite. A good deal of that shite…” Sep 6, 18:49
Young Lochinvar on Anything But That: “Missing person appeal! Will the real Northcode come forward please, his account here has clearly been hacked and it appears…” Sep 6, 18:36
Mark Beggan on Anything But That: “Salmond new how difficult the task to unite Scotland internally would be. Everybody was on board on the anti English…” Sep 6, 18:23
Mark Beggan on Anything But That: “Well said Northy. Better late than never, about Ten years late, but none the less. Seriously! That is something that…” Sep 6, 18:12
Young Lochinvar on Anything But That: “NC Stopped reading at “the UK constitution is recognised by the UK Supreme Court”. Kind of says it all really..” Sep 6, 18:02
TURABDIN on Anything But That: “Strategy and a preternatural understanding of the opponent. WOW….if only.” Sep 6, 17:59
factchecker on Anything But That: “Just repeating this because it’s the best summary I’ve seen in years. Well done, Northy. “Independence requires maturity, realism, and…” Sep 6, 17:09
