Baillie on the rocks

Maybe Jackie Baillie was just having a bad day, maybe the quote from her is from before the news actually broke or maybe she's just lost the place entirely.

But, seemingly in response to the news that a TNS System Three poll has found more people in favour of independence than against it, Jackie chose to say:

"There is no doubt that the vast majority of Scots don't want an end to the Union, and the SNP are well aware of that. Scots want to walk tall in the Union, not walk out."

This woman is one of Scottish Labour's supposed big-hitters and main players, she is the party's Chief of Staff, and yet she can't see that the state of Scotland and their views on independence, their approach to standing on their own two feet, making decisions and opinions on their own, is changing.

"Vast majority" suggests in excess of 70-80% of the population. Such phrases can simply no longer be used with regard to the independence question. It's on a knife-edge right now with both sides in the low 40s and competing vigorously for the remaining 20%. And momentum is flowing in only one direction. Scotland is moving unmistakably towards being an independent state.

And Jackie Baillie, with gaffe after gaffe, is speeding up the process.

Yet maybe we shouldn't be too surprised. A brilliant story that shows how out of touch Ms Baillie is, even with her own party, is this one:

A senior Labour MSP contacted Jackie Baillie to inform her that he would not be attending the debating chamber that day as he was meeting with the Prime Minister.

Jackie Baillie's reply was "we'll see".

Does this woman think she is more important than Gordon Brown? Does her love of power stretch to bossing around her own MSPs when clearly they are needed elsewhere? Wendy Alexander, in her time of trouble, is making the classic mistake of drawing on her closest allies to get through a rocky stage. The only problem is, these trusted allies are creating more choppy waters than they are calming.

Long may it continue too.

Baillie? Make mine a double...