Wendy Alexander remains as Scottish Labour leader

[Deleted]

I have some sympathy for Wendy Alexander, a fairly competent leader (certainly more so than any of her successors) unfairly ousted over a scandal which was not of her making. While I doubt she could have won an election against Salmond, could she have prevented an overall SNP majority in 2011, and possibly prevented the Conservatives from replacing Labour as the main opposition in Scotland?

[The Bishop]

I've been ploughing this furrow for a while - she was so much more talented than her brother, too

And yes, all SLab leaders since have been between unimpressive and downright awful.

She might not have been able to prevent the historic collapse of Scottish Labour support in 2014/15 - but could have somewhat moderated it and made rebuilding easier.

[Deleted]

Feb 16, 2020 10:30:17 GMT The Bishop said:

[...] She might not have been able to prevent the historic collapse of Scottish Labour support in 2014/15 - but could have somewhat moderated it and made rebuilding easier.

It's also possible that 2014-15 as we know it would not have happened at all if Scottish Labour had done slightly better in 2011 and prevented a pro-independence majority at Holyrood...

[afleitch]

Wendy Alexander wouldn't have hidden in a Subway sandwich shop.

I think Labour's decline was built in, however Wendy was a protege of Dewar and had she got the role when he died or after McLeish quit (f-ck the Daily Record for smearing her) she probably would have navigated Labour through tricky constitutional waters. I think she'd allow for a pro-indy faction to express itself in Labour if she lasted past 2011 and as a result, it wouldn't have collapsed post referendum.