They never thought they'd miss McConnell...

In the midst of all the fuss about Wendy Alexander's utter failure as Labour leader, there must be some wistful looks back to a time when there was at least some semblance of order and direction in the ranks. Perhaps not quite a 'bring back Jack' refrain, but certainly a sense that the McConnell days were better times for Labour than the days since the leadership changed hands.

That made some comments of Iain Macwhirter's very interesting:

I have been told independently that Jack McConnell was expected to step aside after the election to make way for Wendy Alexander, who would have been installed as leader without a contest on the Monday after the election.

Leaving aside the democratic deficit inherent in the plan, the speed with which McConnell was being asked to resign makes it appear that the plan had been made before the election and that Jack McConnell was expected to go no matter what the result of the election turned out to be.

Macwhirter also goes on to say that McConnell's refusal to go immediately is being seen by Labour in London as the cause of Labour's meltdown in Scotland. Those spinning that out are either deliberately sending up smoke or don't have a very good understanding of politics.

Labour's problems come from a number of angles - firstly there's the SNP victory showing that Labour's grip on Scotland's throat can be loosened and Labour can lose and will lose again; then there's the performance of the SNP Government outshining the previous administrations that Scotland suffered; add on Gordon Brown's obvious incompetence since he became Prime Minister; garnish with a succession of stories suggesting Labour indulges in practices which can, at the most charitable, be described as questionable, and you have a recipe for Labour's collapse that has little to do with Jack McConnell staying a few days extra.

Just to keep adding to Labour's woes, apparently, Sepp Blatter has now spiked Gordon Brown's pet project of a GB football team for the Olympics. Let's hope Broon hasn't ordered the strips.