I have been told that papers for Holyrood selection contests have to be in for the Labour party by early January.
While Sarah Boyack has already sailed through her reselection things in the East are looking much more interesting.
The top two names for the Labour ticket in Edinburgh East will be former Council leader Ewan Aitken (pictured above) and former Provost Lesley Hinds (pictured above). It could make for an interesting battle with an interesting result, particularly when the rammifications for Edinburgh East's election agent for the 2010 election, Kezia Dugdale (pictured above) are taken into account.
Labour have the 'zipped lists' approach for the regional selections (meaning that the rankings have to be -female-male-female-male etc) so whoever of the local heavyweights (relatively speaking, of course) misses out on the seat of Edinburgh East will presumably opt for trying to become an MSP through the regional vote.
This is where the sexes come into it for if, as I would suspect, Ewan Aitken beats Lesley Hinds to the constituency candidacy, Kezia Dugdale's potential top female spot on the list is in jeopardy and the jostling for position gets that little bit harder.
Note also that Lord George Foulkes is standing down as an MSP in 2011 and the rumours over Des Browne perhaps looking for a new role as a list MSP could ratchet up.
Given that Labour can reasonably expect to have one male and one female list MSP each from Lothians after 2011 (the aforementioned Sarah Boyack losing out to the Lib Dems, Mike Rumbles holding his seat in the South, SNP gain to the West, Margaret Smith holding Edinburgh West and poor Ewan or Lesley losing out to Kenny MacAskill clearing the way for an extra Labour list MSP), one has to think that there will be many eyes from inside the party and out looking East over the next few weeks and months.
Will Kezia have to wait just over one year, five years or even longer to take up a spot in the Scottish Parliament?
It's far too early to tell but it sure is getting interesting...
(Of course these jostlings go on in all parties so I'm not trying to suggest it's just Labour. Zipped lists just add an extra variable)
14 comments:
I think you mean Mike Pringle (MSP Edinburgh South) rather then Mike Rumbles (MSP West Aberdeenshire & Kincardine). The latter is in a seat which the Tories will be targeting yet again in 2011, no doubt unsuccessfully given his margin.
Too many flights playing havoc with the memory?
I notice that you don't mention Margo's seat there. Has she announced if she'll be standing again?
If not, that could end up going all sorts of ways - SNP, Labour, Green or even another independent.
Definitely. That and the fact that I got not a wink of sleep last night (Swedish coffee is strong!)
Also, Mrs TV was doing her Masters viva voce most of the day and I was wasting time in the university library so I might have been distracted.
By all the fascinating books of course! (Talk about 'rumble'd)
Well, Margo doesn't have a 'seat' as such since she's a list MSP but she is standing down and if Robin Harper steps down maybe the Green vote will be depressed.
Labour are on for 2 list MSPs in Lothians I reckon.
The people should rise and demand Baron Foulkes stands again!
Could you not start the bandwagon rolling somewher in Sweden?
Lord of Foulkes of Cummnock
A man who voted for introducing introducing ID cards & Labour's draconian anti-terrorism laws.
A representative of the 'people's party' who voted for introducing foundation hospitals and student top-up fees whilst students in his own constituency first had them deferred and then scrapped by the SNP.
Still an outspoken supporter of the Iraq War, he voted very strongly for invasion and then voted equally very strongly against any investigation into that decision. A fact that really puts things his decision making process into the limelight, given the recent spate of revelations that have been made public.
He refuses to vote on replacing Trident yet remains an ardent unionist.
He voted very strongly against laws to stop climate change and some have said he still believes the world is flat, atleast it is when he gets the plane to London every other week.
I bring you Lord of Foulkes of Cummnock
A shining example of everything that is wrong with this world?
What makes you assume the Lib Dems will take the new Edinburgh Central? It may be notionally Lib Dem on the last results, but it's very much a three-way marginal and potentially a four if the Greens got their act together.
Yeah Aswas, the language isn't the tightest in there, didn't give it the usual redraft but the gist of the gossip stacks up.
I based the Lib Dem gain solely on Will and Yousuf's fine analysis on the boundary changes but given they're 2007 notional calculations, I think it's fair to bump SNP up a bit and dock Lib Dems down while leaving Lab as they are.
Not sure where that leaves it to be honest, particularly after the few Gluk mulled wines I just had!
Swedish coffee, fogelscrama?
I assume your good lady has not instructed you in Swedish euphemism?
The photo just proves the truth of the old adage - politics is showbiz for ugly people.
Who on earth are they, anyway?! What have they ever done? Have they ever had a proper job ie one outside politics? If so, for how long? Did they distinguish themselves? Were they actually in charge of anything important?
For the vast majority of labour politicians, the answer to all of the above is "er....no".
God help us.
Surprised that you are more interested in Labour internal selection process than covering the fact that the Education Secretary is being sued by MacLauchaln for unfair dismissal.
If MacLachlan wins his case, then both Mike Russell and Kevin pringle will have to resign - yet strangely the SNP bloggers don't think this is worth discussing. Wonder why....
Thomas Docherty = CyberBrit
Ewan Aitken is a good man, and certainly far more interested in social justice and standing up for the rights of the poor than is usual in his party. Sadly, as his party too seldom share these interests, I won't vote for him. A good man to have in Holyrood, I think, but I'd prefer him to be in the opposition.
Thomas Docherty - there has actually been quite a lot written by SNP bloggers about the MacLauchlan affair, but I doubt much will come of it.
I agree Tulloch, not that I've met him, but Ewan Aitken seems a fine candidate and I reckon he'll win the candidacy with relative ease.
Thomas, I've written a fair bit about Mark MacLachlan, I daresay more than most people are interested in.
The story now is at a point of one person's word against anothers. What more would you have me say?
If you are indeed the PPC for Dunfermline West & Fife, I respectfully suggest you stick to policies going forward. Voters will be more interested in them I can assure you.
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