Jim Murphy, Saviour of The Union

And there’s more ...  

It’s not looking good for Jim is it?

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Murphy’s ‘New Laws'

Jim Murphy has been elected to hold the North Britain Labour Party’s poisoned chalice - the leader of the party in Scotland.

As you can see many of us thought Neil Findlay would perhaps achieve the dizzy heights but he didn’t disgrace himself with 35% of the vote. Jim Murphy received 56% with Sarah Boyack in third place with 9%.

Apart from his rather nasty remarks about Alex Salmond, Jim Murphy proposes to rewrite Scottish Labour’s Clause IV. I find myself swithering between amusement and pathos at the bullet points in the New Statesman. How sad that a party which ruled Scotland for decades has to incorporate into its constitution the fact that it’s a ‘patriotic party’.

I’m not sure if this is vacuous nonsense from Jim Murphy because some time ago I read that the Labour party in Scotland could not have a separate constitution from the main party  i.e. London based labour.

We shall see.  I doubt if he’ll appeal to the younger generation even with Kezia Dugdale as his deputy.

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Scottish Labour Leadership Poll - update

The Scottish Branch of the Labour party leadership contenders has changed since the above poll.  43% of you thought A N Other would be the next leader with Mr Murphy following closely behind.

I’ve placed a new poll over there >> with the confirmed candidates.  There appears to be an tinge of arrogance in Murphy’s television interviews this week.

Will he be good or bad for Scotland?

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Scottish Labour Leadership - The Candidates So Far

It appears most of the contenders I listed for the leadership of the Scottish branch of the Labour Party have decided not to touch the poisoned chalice.  However a couple of ‘brave’ souls have stepped out of the melee and announced their candidacy.

The first is Neil Findlay.  When I heard the name I thought “Who?”  Of course google, being a best friend, came to the rescue with an image of the said Neil Finday. I didn’t recognise him but it’s stated he is the current health spokesman in the Scottish Parliament.

Next to express their desire for promotion was Sarah Boyack. I did recognise her - she’s been around quite some time but has been more or less silent since she left the first Labour coalition cabinet.

The past few days the media has been buzzing with the news that ‘the big gun’ Jim Murphy has put forward his candidacy. Fear and scorn are a few of the emotions drifting around social networks.  Andrew has a legal slant on Mr Murphy’s expectations.  Whilst reading the comments I happened across this link.  Tommy Ball is a member of the SSP but he’s done his homework and his assessment of Mr Murphy won’t be pleasant breakfast reading for the Eastwood MP.

However, a week is a long time in politics.  Next week is sure to bring more interesting facts and opinions from and of the candidates.  I was tempted to say “I cannae wait,” but that would be a downright lie.  I can wait.  It’s somewhat satisfying to watch the slow destruction of Scottish Labour.  I doubt if any will be honourable enough to fall on their swords gracefully though.

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Labour's Latest Leader Of Their MSPs?

Since Labour's humiliating defeat in May in Scotland and Iain Gray's announcement that he will be standing down 'later in the year' the grapevine has been hard at work with the MSM attempting to forecast who will be the new leader of Labour's MSPs.

For some weeks now the Scottish press have been hinting an MP could take the position as it's not necessary for a leader to be a member of the Scottish Parliament. Alex Salmond, when elected leader of the SNP - second time around - stayed as an MP until the next Scottish parliament elections and his decision caused few, if any, problems within his party.  Of course he ran for the leadership on a joint ticket with Nicola Sturgeon who then had the opportunity to show her skills and effectiveness as a senior politician. She was first-class in that role and continues to be so as Alex Salmond's deputy.

Yesterday the Herald stated Jim Murphy had been approached by his fellow Labour MPs to become Labour's leader in Scotland and in due course stand for Holyrood. There could be slightly more than a grain of truth in this because Labour in Scotland are in dire need of a high-profiled leader and they have nobody within their MSP ranks.

Jim Murphy's comment shows he may well be giving the proposal consideration:

“I have set my sights on trying to be a Cabinet minister in the next Labour Government and that’s all I am focused on.”

As shadow Defence Secretary at Westminster he's more or less invisible and he doesn't appear comfortable in the role.

Would he take up the baton which includes a rather large drop in salary? He has four years until his party has any chance of being re-elected at Westminster and five years to wait for the next Scottish parliamentary elections if he chooses to change course and become an MSP.  There are other ways such as by-elections but these may be few and far between.

Apart from Scottish Labour's need to totally restructure there's another problem facing Labour if Jim Murphy, or any MP for that matter, choses to lead by proxy.  Who would be his deputy? Labour has little talent on its benches at Holyrood and if the MSPs were to be led by an absent leader, the deputy would require to be a strong, effective voice.

If I recall correctly, last week at FMQs Alex Salmond paid tribute to Iain Gray as leader of Holyrood's MSPs.  Iain Gray responded by saying (I'm paraphrasing): "I haven't gone yet."  Would he be the man Labour would choose to keep Jim Murphy's seat warm?  Allan Massie certainly thinks Iain Gray deserves another chance at the leadership and not as anyone's deputy.

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The New Shadow Chancellor - according to BB

According to Benedict Brogan, who is perhaps one of the more accurate political forecasters, one name doing the rounds in the Labour party for the post of shadow chancellor is Jim Murphy (pictured).

Mr Brogan describes him as hard-nosed, modern and young (enough).

I'll keep my own adjectives to myself.

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Jim Murphy gets the Photoshop Treatment

Remember Gordon Brown's vindictive attacks on David Cameron for 'airbrushing' his election poster?

Well now we have Jim Murphy, the Scottish Secretary, having a go. The above picture was taken at a Labour student event at Strathclyde University in Glasgow in February.

A spokesman for Mr Murphy admitted the picture had been 'improved' to spruce up his looks.

"In the original picture, taken by a student, his face was so dark he looked like a member of the Addams Family, so we had to do something. But it is not a case of the picture being faked. He was at the event. It was just edited and improved to give it a lighter look."

I'm no expert on Photoshop, but to my ignorant eye Mr Murphy certainly looks doctored. In fact he looks ill. Is that associated with the crease across his chest?

If this is any improvement on his usual photogenicity I struggle to see it. Will I bother finding my glasses? Auch no. Now that I'm aware Mr Murphy wishes to deceive me by altering a photograph tells me more than I want to know about the man.

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Caption Please

For those of you who don't know the person in the photograph it is Labour MP Jim Murphy, whose other title is Scottish Secretary.

My contribution is 'Remember when the Home Office lost a memory stick with the details of 84,000 prisoners in England and Wales? Found it! Only Labour can deliver.'

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Jim Fixes It - For His Own Office

Jim Murphy is always calling for restraint in public spending and the need for the Scottish Government to find 'efficiencies', but what Mr Murphy doesn't inform us is that his Scotland Office budget increased by £1.2 million to £8.7 million for 2009/2010. Last year the budget rose by £1.3 million.

By contrast, the total Scottish Government budget of around £29.5 billion rose by £18 million in 2009/2010 compared to a much larger increase of almost £76 million last year. Scottish ministers argue that when inflation is taken into account, their budget has fallen in real terms.

However, Mr Murphy has put his most generous increase to good use. He's spent £1.4 million on a facelift for his luxurious mansion office during the worst recession in modern history. More money has been spent titivating Dover House in London over the past two years than in the whole of the previous five years.

Public money has gone on things like new carpets and oak floorboards, wall and ceiling decorations, a new fireplace, air conditioning, new cupboard doors and CCTV cameras, to name but a few items.

Since 1999 a succession of labour ministers have authorised more than £3.3 million of 'refurbishments' to the Scotland Office's Whitehall headquarters, as well as its smaller Edinburgh base. Why does Jim Murphy need an Edinburgh base?

Ministers said the bulk of the cash was spent on roof and exterior repairs because it's a grade one listed building and must be maintained at an 'acceptable standard of decoration', but planning papers lodged with Westminster City Council show that public money has also been spent on sprucing up the interior, as well as bomb proof doors, roof lights and even 'pruning an Indian bean tree'.

Did you know that the walls of Dover House are lined with dozens of valuable painting on loan from the National Galleries of Scotland? Did you also know that the building boasts a gym, a shower room, two libraries, a radio broadcast room and a video conferencing room?

Margaret Thatcher was apparently furious that her ministers were working in such luxury. So am I, especially when there is no further need for a Scotland Office now we have devolution. But Jim Murphy's job is not to defend and protect Scottish interests, it is to ensure that every proposal made by the SNP Scottish government is ignored or scorned by the Westminster government.

Next time I hear him mutter about efficiencies I'll be able to call him a hypocrite and justifiably so.

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Jim Murphy's Electioneering Riles the Cardinal

Yesterday I wrote about Jim Murphy using religion as part of his electioneering plan.

Today it's reported Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the leader of Scotland's catholics, issued a stinging rebuke that could significantly damage Labour's prospects in Scotland at the forthcoming general election.  Cardinal O'Brien said he could not think of a "tangible example" of the party embracing the views of the Catholic Church in the past decade.

Instead, he argued Labour and Gordon Brown had consistently undermined religious freedom by ignoring objections to new laws permitting experimentation on embryos, civil partnerships and same-sex adoption.

In a carefully scripted retort, Cardinal O'Brien said:

"Any recognition of the role played by faith and religion in society is to be welcomed. However, a tangible example by the government over the last decade that it acknowledged or endorsed religious values would also have been welcomed. Instead we have witnessed this government undertake a systematic and unrelenting attack on family values."


Mr Murphy and the Labour party have been well and truly ticked off by the Cardinal and quite rightly.  Using religion for political gain is not particularly acceptable to the majority of Scots.

Clarinda, one of my readers, commented on my last post: 'I doubt Mr Murphy has had a religious revelation - but more of a spiritual speculation on his odds for re-election'.  I can't help but agree with her and I somehow think the Cardinal may have been smart enough to see that too.

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When In Doubt Be Religious

Jim Murphy, the Scottish Secretary (pictured above right), has decided to play the religion card in his electioneering.

Speaking at Westminster to Progress, a Labour think tank, Mr Murphy will say: "In the US faith has long played a central part in politics - not surprising for a country where 60% of people say that God plays an important part in their lives.

"But it's wrong to think that it plays no role in British politics."

He will tell his audience that research from the time of the 2005 general election suggested Labour support was strongest among religious people.

Mr Murphy's speech is partly an attempt to stem the tide of Catholic and Muslim voters north of the border who have switched to the SNP.  In recent years Labour has seen support drift away following rows over gay adoption and the scrapping of Clause 28 which banned the promotion of homosexuality in schools.

In his speech, the Scottish Secretary will also claim that the Bible gave "the Labour movement the intellectual legitimacy to challenge the old orders."

Finally, in an apparent broadside against the Nationalists, Mr Murphy will link patriotism and support for the UK with faith.

The above is part of a labour press release published in today's Scotsman.

This plan of Jim Murphy's could well backfire.  In fact, in the east here it will possibly be a damp squib, a very damp squib.  Religion is not an issue in this part of Scotland. It's in the west, where Jim Murphy has his seat, that religion features more prominently, although in recent years it seems to matter far less.  The days are gone when every Catholic votes according to their leader's wishes.

I could say this action of Jim Murphy's is distasteful but I won't, because it's really just rather silly, in a country which wishes to welcome those of all religions and none.

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Murphy says 'We Will Transform Scottish Politics'

Angus Macleod and Magnus Linklater, writing in today's Times, report that Jim Murphy is promising that Labour would give the Scottish Parliament 'radical' new tax powers within a year if they were re-elected.

“We will legislate early in the first year of the next Parliament,” he said. “It would be in the first legislative pogramme of a fourth term.” Both the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, and the Chancellor, Alistair Darling, he said, were “signed up” to the timetable.

“It will be enormously radical,” Mr Murphy continued. “MSPs will be making the big decisions every year [that] they do not even discuss at the moment ... [such as] what should the tax rate be in Scotland. That will transform politics in Scotland and give the Scottish Parliament the kind of accountability it hasn’t had in the first ten years of devolution. They will have to decide how they spend the money they have asked the Scottish people for.”

Mr Murphy is certainly ensuring he has a high profile in the press these days. Of course he has little else to do it seems. I note in the article he desperately tries to substantiate his position by stating it had been an error for his predecessors, such as Des Browne, to be asked to combine the Scottish Secretary's role with another major Cabinet post.

Then he continues to say 'the labour government got its handling of Mr Salmond and the SNP government "wrong" after the Nationalist election triumph in 2007.'

"They were already victors. We bashed them around the head and turned them into victims. It was the perfect storm for them of victory and victimhood.

"We [had] allowed Nationalism to become as attractive as patriotism. All Nationalists are patriots but not all patriots are Nationalists."

If I wasn't so cynical I'd have tears in my eyes right now. Keep going Mr Murphy. At this rate by the time election day arrives the Scottish public will be so sick of seeing and hearing you they'll vote for anyone but your party.

Of Alex Salmond he says," I think he loves Scotland as much as I do. I think that's his greatest strength. Other than that I don't really know him. I don't know him as a human being, I know him as a politician."

Ah, so there were have it from the utterances of Jim Murphy. Politicians aren't human beings. He includes himself surely. I'll leave it to you to decide if he's smart or stupid.

To add to labour's woes, Tony Blair is returning to the front line of British politics to campaign for Labour in the general election, close ally Peter Mandelson has revealed.

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Iain Gray - The Outsider

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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Tories Accuse Mr Murphy of Breaching the Code of Conduct

Firstly today we have Mr Salmond and his constituency problem in the news and now Jim Murphy, the Scottish Secretary, was at the centre of controversy after the conservatives accused him of allowing John McTernan, his spin doctor, to "break the code of conduct"for special advisers by agreeing to speak at a public debate on the future of the Union.

In a press release put out by the independent think tank Reform Scotland, Mr McTernan appears at the top of a list of speakers for a debate on "The Future of the UK Constitution", which is die to take place before an audience on 4 February in London.

After the Herald contacted Mr McTernan al alternative speaker was put forward, but he denied any breach of the code blaming "administrative confusion" for his name appearing.

The other speakers are all politicians and include David Mundell, Alistair Carmichael, Stewart Hosie and Jim Wallace.Francis Maude, Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office said" "This is a clear breach of Cabinet Office rules and is yet another sign of how Labour's special advisors have run riot in Whitehall, creating a culture of spin and undermining the independence of the civil service. It speaks volumes that there is no Labour Minister prepared to stand up to defend the Union. Jim Murphy should have known better, as a former Minister for the Cabinet Office, than to have allowed his special adviser to break the code of conduct."

Here's the spin:

When approached by The Herald Mr McTernan admitted his name was on the list and that he was due to speak, but did not believe there was any breach of the code of conduct as he would only be putting forward Government policy. Later, however, he insisted there had been “an administrative confusion” and that, in fact, Ann McKechin, the Scotland Office Minister, would speak at the event. He added that he had been told by the Cabinet Office that even if did speak he would not breach the rules for special advisers.

Interesting last few paragraphs in the article regarding the state of No 10 and therefore the government:

Based on evidence from 60 senior civil servants, analysis published today from the Institute for Government, an independent charity which aims to improve government effectiveness, points says the office of the British premier has more concentration of power than any other developed country.

“In contrast,” it adds, “the fragmentation and lack of coordination at the centre of the civil service – the Treasury, No 10 and the Cabinet Office – leads to an administrative centre that is relatively weak. This curious situation has created a strategic gap at the heart of British Government, which inhibits the ability to set overall government priorities and translate them into action.”

I was going to remark on the picture accompanying this post but I think the saying 'least said best mended' applies.

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Scottish Affairs Committee

Last night I spent around an hour listening to the Scottish Affairs Committee when the witnesses were Jim Murphy, Secretary of State for Scotland and Robin Haynes, Head of Financial Services, Scotland Office.

It was reported that 'Jim Murphy in war of words with SNP MP'. The SNP MP in question is Pete Wishart.

Having listened from 0.43.00 for some time, (where Mr Murphy begins his attacks on the SNP), I can completely understand why Mr Wishart's frustration boiled over at 1.14.30. You can view the tape here but please be patient because BBC Parliament.uk leaves a lot to be desired and is slow to buffer to sections. Further sarcasm addressed to Pete Wishart is from 1.51.00 for a minute or two.

Mr Murphy spent a considerable amount of time substantiating his job and the two examples he was able to give of what projects he has undertaken since taking office were a job seminar in Glasgow earlier this week and assisting a Western Isles SNP MP with a threatened redundancy problem in his constituency. He was obviously annoyed he did not receive copy letters sent from Scottish government ministers to various Westminster departments and stated his staff had to ask for them.

Mr Murphy forgets the job of Secretary of State for Scotland was part-time for a considerable period and one of his predecessors also managed to do it whilst being Defence Secretary and the country was at war. Therefore the SNP has every right to ask him what he does with his time and also to have suggested there was no need for the expense of the Scotland Office.

Not an impressive performance from Mr Murphy. It was unprofessional and his detailed knowledge of the Calman Report appeared to be sketchy as he required the assistance of Mr Haynes at times.

I'm more convinced than ever that the Scotland Office is surplus to requirements and the millions it costs per year could be put to much better use elsewhere, either within Westminster or the Scottish Parliament.

He was Europe Minister as he reminded the committee on several occasions. I'm quite sure he wasn't highly regarded by many of his German colleagues for his style of dress if yesterday was anything to go by. If he thought he would cool and relaxed by removing his jacket then it didn't impress me one bit. To me, his dress looked untidy and quite out of place, when all others were in business attire. A minor point yes, but an important one all the same when you're in a position of authority. Call me old-fashioned.

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Glenrothes By-Election Neatly Tidied Up

For those of you who missed the comment by Stuart Dickson on my EU post yesterday, I will copy it here.

Interesting motion on the Commons order paper for the end of business tonight (last night*):

RULE 56 (1) OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION RULES
[No debate]
Secretary Jim Murphy

That, in accordance with rule 56 (1) of the Parliamentary Election Rules contained in Schedule 1 to the Representation of the People Act 1983, the sealed packets containing the completed corresponding number lists forwarded to the sheriff clerk at Kirkcaldy following the Glenrothes by-election on 6 November 2008 (1) shall not be destroyed by the sheriff clerk other than as provided for in the protocol agreed among the Secretary of State for Scotland, the electoral registration officer for Fife, the returning officer for the Glenrothes parliamentary constituency and the sheriff clerk for the Kirkcaldy sheriff court district and dated 16 and 19 October 2009 (Cm 7729); (2) may be delivered by that sheriff clerk to that returning officer; and (3) may be opened by that returning officer in order that a substitute marked copy of the register of electors may be made available for public inspection, all in accordance with and subject to the conditions specified in that protocol.
To be decided without debate (Standing Order No. 118(6) and Order of 20 October).

* my insert

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The 'Beefed Up' Scottish Report

Iain Gray, Labour's Holyrood leader, in a frantic effort to gain some press coverage, has issued Alex Salmond with an "anytime, anywhere" challenge to debate the future of Scotland.

Last week we had the man with the title Scottish Secretary make a similar challenge but his was dismissed with a nonchalant wave of the hand.

“Alex Salmond has refused to debate with the Scottish Secretary but he cannot run and hide from his direct opposite number at Holyrood,” said Mr Gray.

“If Mr Salmond has any faith at all in his plans he will accept a debate with me on his disastrous plans for separation.”

Both Iain Gray and Jim Murphy will address the labour conference consecutively today in what labour officials described as a 'beefed up' Scottish report.

As I type Jim Murphy is on the stage at Brighton and talking to a hall which certainly isn't filled to the gunnels - it's hardly a third full. Off to hear the man who nobody knows now - we all need a little light-hearted entertainment at times!

Update 10.05am: Jim Murphy attacked the Tories while Iain Gray's target was Alex Salmond. A decent performance from both but nothing inspiring. I very much doubt either man persuaded one person to vote labour. If that was a 'beefed up' double act it makes me wonder what a 'veggie' one would have been like. Not that it matters in the least because it was all mince.

Source: Herald

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Angus MacLeod Reveals His Humorous Side

It's not often a Scottish journalist shows even a glimmer of humour or wit, but Angus MacLeod has excelled himself in today's Times. 'Slugger Salmond ducks out of political debate with Mauler Murphy' roars the headline accompanied by the above cartoon (which could more truth than fiction!)

Jim Murphy has challenged Alex Salmond to a debate because they are both attending the same conference in Edinburgh tomorrow.

“We are both due to speak at the McKay Hannah conference in Edinburgh this Wednesday,” it began. “As our slots in the programme are separated only by a coffee break I thought it might be more interesting for the audience if, instead of speaking back to back, we went head to head in a straight debate on the future of Scotland.

“Many questions remain unanswered on the detail of your proposal of separating Scotland from the United Kingdom and this would be a fitting forum for this discussion.”

Response:

Mr Salmond believed that Mr Murphy was “desperate”. His spokesman said that Mr Salmond had been asked simply to open the conference, not speak at it — though that begged the question as to when this First Minister had ever opened anything without making a (sometimes very long) speech.

Mr Murphy was, said the spokesman, drawing attention to himself, as if that was a characteristic not normally associated with politicians. He was trying to sideline Iain Gray, the Labour leader at Holyrood, with whom Mr Salmond debates every Thursday in the Scottish Parliament. It was all, the spokesman said with affected weariness, “a silly stunt”.

You'll just have to bide yer time Jim, Alex has his own plans and he's not going to be thrown off course by a numpty. Good try though and it did get your photo and name in today's press so objective accomplished.

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Tweet Extra

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Jim Murphy MP, Secretary of State for Scotland, tweets rather ostentatiously, as Scotland Office. His chosen charity is an excellent choice though. For those who wondered if I responded to his tweet, the answer is no - although I was sorely tempted!

ScotlandOfficeJust abseiled 165ft off the Finnieston crane for Erskine hospital . Bad news for some - I survived!35 minutes ago from mobile web

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Wednesday's Morning Extra with Jim Murphy

For those of you who missed Jim Murphy's 60 minutes of fame on this morning's BBC Scotland's Morning Extra programme here is the link. (Sorry I can't download it as the BBC doesn't permit downloads for Macs).

Enjoy!

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