Saturday, October 11, 2008
Gordon for Glenrothes
The ill wind of the financial crisis blows kindly for the political fortunes of Gordon Brown at the moment. The news this week that he is to break convention and campaign in the Glenrothes by election is a straw in the self-same wind. Only two weeks ago, it was in Glenrothes that he was supposed to meet his nemesis, but now Labour may have a chance, as Andy MacSmith once press handler to the late John Smith opines in the Independent. The same wind blows ill on Alex Salmond whose narrative of Scottish independence will have to be revised, according to observers including BBC Scotland’s political editor Brian Taylor.
“We’re unlikely to hear over-much from Alex Salmond in future about the “arc of prosperity.... You know, Norway, Ireland.......and Iceland. These were to be the lodestones for Scotland’s future financial direction. Sundry parties of a Unionist persuasion will, severally and collectively, suggest that Mr Salmond’s fundamental economic case has been undermined.
The Nationalists have an answer. They will say that what matters is not, intrinsically, the size of the state but the state of the economic and fiscal policies pursued by the government, together, of course, with global conditions.”
Mike Small in Our Kingdom “ Remember Remember the 6th of November” spots division between the London and Scottish commentariat and asks a good question: in the campaign, how does Brown explain away English jealousy over SNP freebies?
Brian Walker @ 08:04 PM
Brian,
The bookies have 1-3 SNP, Labour 2-1
Glenrothes By-electionPosted by on Oct 11, 2008 @ 08:56 PMEl Gordo and Darling have both played blinders and I agree that seperatist ideology will probably seem like a luxury that can be ill-afforded or a chance that it is too risky to take - until there is a turn around in the economy.
Alex’s best bet is to say El Gordo is on the way out and Scotland’s interests lie in getting more powers before the REAL friends of the lunatics who run the finacial markets - Posh Boy Dave Cameron (PBDC) and the Neo Cons - get elected south of the border. A touch unfair on PBDC but Alex wont lose any sleep over that.
Posted by on Oct 11, 2008 @ 09:03 PMI agree. Brown went into the Labour conference with barely the support of his own party, but the cross-party consensus really took the wind out of the nay-sayers. With PBDC supporting Brown’s plans Labour rebels would be seen as going against the interests of the country.
And he gets points for consistency compared to the uncertainty of other European leaders.
Posted by on Oct 11, 2008 @ 10:45 PMHmmm - I think the enduring image will be Brown laughing as the economy goes down the pan.
Posted by on Oct 12, 2008 @ 12:34 PM
