EDITOR’S NOTE
MANDY RHODES
PPA Scotland Columnist of the Year 2007
mandy@holyrood.com
Busted flush
N
ow that Brown has had a bit of a by-election, an overly thought. Henry McLeish wouldn’t be the first veteran of the
inflated bounce and Salmond a slow hiss deflation, the left to warn his party of the dangers of slipping back into a
speculation has already started about the possibility of a snap
The g
null
lee at
state of complacency. Labour needs to bank that win and build
general election early next year and the demise of the Nats.
the FM’s
on it, not use it as a signal to go to the ballot box. But time
It’s an overly used phrase, but, indeed, a week is a long time
pain is
is running out for Brown. This is a PM who, in an effort to
in politics. Yes, Labour managed to retain a seat with a re-
evidence of
hang onto the top job, despite his obvious personal failings as a
duced majority. Yes, the SNP did come second with a hugely leader, sees everything through the distorted prism of his own
increased proportion of the vote and yes, the Lib Dems and
the fact that
popularity as a predictor of when he should call that all impor-
the Tories did lose their deposits but the most important thing
Labour has
tant election. A loss in Glasgow East; bad. A win in Glenrothes;
for Labour was that Alex Salmond was humiliated. The glee still to learn good. Tackling the global economy; good. Rising unemploy-
at the FM’s pain is evidence of the fact that Labour has still
the lessons
ment; bad. But whatever his arithmetic, it was demeaning to
to learn the lessons of the past. Take note of who dominated
of the past
see the tragedy of the death of a systematically abused boy, let
the headlines in the days after the Glenrothes result; Salmond. down by all those charged with protecting him, used by Brown
Just for holding his hands up and taking the blame. What a as a political score card which only exposed what was really on
magnificent PR coup. And the reason the shamed FM could his mind – when to call that election. David Cameron has been
capture the media agenda was because he has a profile, he has
null
rendered impotent by the global financial problems but was
charisma and whether you like it or not, Salmond and his team able to come back strong and remind us all that politics can still
can still seize the initiative even when facing a negative. Labour be about raw emotion and gut reaction to abhorrent acts. That
was still so busy clapping itself on the back that it forgot to blow point is not party political, it is effective opposition and it is
its own trumpet loudly enough to drown Salmond out. The human. Brown embarrassed himself and his party by question-
FM meanwhile knew one way to turn a bad press round was to ing otherwise and you could almost hear the calculations of
do something out of the ordinary and that was to admit he was how this might affect his electoral chances clicking away in the
wrong. Mea culpa. A contrite Salmond was a rare sight to see background. It is generally agreed that Brown is at his best in a
and Scots love an underdog. Labour should absolutely regard financial storm when he can talk the talk with political leaders.
Glenrothes as a major success but it is only the first step back It is the economic crisis that has seen Brown emerge once again
on that ladder. The election-fighting as a contender but last week’s PMQs
machine of the SNP that was sup- also revealed how transient that po-
posed never to sleep may have been sition can be. How quickly a winner
caught napping in Fife but it will have becomes a loser. While the PM at-
already assimilated the lessons from tends big meetings like the G20 over
Glenrothes. If Labour wants to fight the weekend to try and find the an-
a Westminster battle on local issues, swer to the world’s future financial
the SNP will be armed and ready. architecture, thousands are already
Labour has already telegraphed how losing their jobs and feeling the hu-
it intends to pack its punches and the man pain of failed expectations over
SNP will be preparing to box clever the end of a boom and bust econo-
next time round. The SNP has just my. We are facing the worst financial
lost a seat that it has never held but crisis since the First World War and
Labour lost a whole election. The politicians won’t be able to solve it
party has little to feel smug about and in a timeframe dictated by electoral
if Brown is even considering taking advantage. The PM would be wise
the country into a general election on to consider the danger of boosting
the back of one result, then politics expectation and then not being able
is more of a game than previously to deliver. HM
SINCE LAST TIME . . .
finished reading Sunset Song and cried for the loss of innocence…rereading Alastair Campbell’s Diaries and reminded that New Labour was
so much about winning at any cost…watched the first in the series about Scotland presented by the wonderful historian Neil Oliver and came
over all patriotic…had a bug, haven’t drunk any alcohol, feel wonderful…hope the lesson stays with me…
| www.holyrood.com | Holyrood magazine | 17 November 2008 |
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