It wasn't a good week for Ian Gray last week and this week didn't start any better for him either.
Jason Allardyce, in the Sunday Times, didn't exactly do a hatchet job but was obviously struggling to find positive examples of Mr Gray's political skills.
Even his critics accept Gray has helped stabilise the party after the “train wreck” of Wendy Alexander’s leadership. But with his approval ratings in the doldrums, there is little evidence of the party’s fortunes taking off under his leadership. “Nobody views Iain as a presidential figure. He was never going to be a performer,” said one insider.
It's noticeable to all those interested in Scottish politics that Iain Gray has been completely overshadowed by the Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy. That's the Jim Murphy who will lead labour's election campaign in Scotland and says the SNP is irrelevant.
The same Jim Murphy who intends to put a picture of David Cameron on his election literature. His excuse for this strange action is he's 'so sure Mr Cameron is an electoral liability for the tories'.
The tories are delighted with this idea. They claim to have private polling from Mr Murphy's East Renfrewshire seat which shows that Cameron is very popular in this Labour-Tory marginal.
What type of election candidate puts a picture of the leader of the opposition on their election leaflets? Don't all answer at once!
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18 comments:
And just think Labour could have selected a worst leader than Gray? Think McCabe or Kerr or Cathy Doll?
The cull of the talent under the blessed Donald Dewar in 1999 is now coming back to haunt Labour in Holyrood.
Och, come on Subrosa - there isn't an air-brush machine in the world capable of doing for Jim or Iain what has been done for smoothie chops poster-boy Cameron.
I'm just suprised that Labour isn't heralding its magnificent triumphs on their front covers - mind you that would require a complimentary magnifying glass to find.
Aye indeed Strathturret. The insistence to have more women was the start of it. How many of these women are still MSPs today? I don't mean list MSPs.
I knew it Clarinda! You think Dave has more charm than Jim or Iain! How could you when Jim is on our screens ensuring we have the pleasure of witnessing his sardonic grins?
There's no point in me commenting on the value of what Mr Murphy says during these broadcasts because I've stopped listening. His facial expressions say it all. The words bitter and twisted spring to mind.
At least Iain isn't fat like a certain First Minister who i shan't name.....
If we had a decent press then they would be tearing Murphy and the Labour party apart for using his position and the Scottish Office for Labour party propoganda.
Funny Gray, Murphy and Brown are such wooden performers that the puppets from Thunderbirds are more animated and human.
Hopefully soon Murphy will be starting his first job in McDonalds or something else at that level of his talent.
Rosie, Murphy is an idiot if he thinks putting Cameron on his election posters will help him. He is desperate to get the Jewish vote which is substancial. I'm told he appears at every Jewish ceremony available, which is good for a good Catholic with an Irish name.
Niko, you really shouldn't talk about Jack like that, or do you mean Wendy?
The tories certainly have Murphy running scared Billy. Will be an interesting constituency to watch.
Ah I see DL, I'm not clued up with west politics as you know. I didn't realise non-Jews were welcome at many ceremonies. How things have changed.
I doubt if any are impressed don't you?
Off topic slightly but the story about Tennants backing minimum alcohol pricing seems to have been given very low key treatment.
I wonder why?
Strathturret you've been reading my mind. While I was listening to the Iraq Inquiry earlier on here, I was browsing articles referring to exactly that. Not much about. Perhaps there will be more by tomorrow then I could do a post and we could discuss the whole matter of alcohol pricing.
The Iraq evidence today was pretty clear cut. Lots of us barrack room lawyers have been saying for years that the war was illegal. Sounds like we were right after all! Straw has come out looking pretty bad. Roll on Bliar on Friday. I suspect he'll be plausible, coached by Campbell.
Do you think that by putting Comedy Dave on their election leaflets, Murphy is actualy giving the subliminal message that he secretly agrees with the Tory agenda?
It would certanly explain the New Labour project.
PS just a thought, does anyone know if Murphy has been to a British American Foundation meeting yet?
Hmm I have had a bit of a u-turn of opinion after interviewing Iain Gray I think he gets a bit of a bad press and is very restrained in what he can do by Westminster after the Wendy debacle. I do believe he wants to do a good job but there are a million and one things stopping him.
DiF, I haven't heard a bad word about the man and anything I've written is purely my own observation. Most is that the man doesn't suit the job he's in and unfortunately it's a job which requires good public presence.
Also as I say, Murphy has done more damage to the man then anyone by sidelining him the way he has.
I would say Murphy is more damaging to the future of Iain Gray than Alex Salmond.
I would agree that Murphy is more a threat to Gray and eclipses him at the best of times due to his manner. Gray to me does appear to be a quiet man who wants to try and do his best but when you are up against the gravitas of Alex Salmond it just doesn't cut. Murphy I think has latched onto this and is over compensating to try and get at Salmond.
DiF, if for a start Gray asked sensible questions (I heard he did quite well today), then he'd be half way there, but he insists on raising matters which are of little relevance to the average voter.
Murphy will stop at nothing to make himself a profile in Scotland. He failed to do that in the EU but now he has a much smaller stage.
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