IF I was in the Labour Party, who would I vote for? Leaving aside the obvious fact that Jack McConnell’s a ready-made, crease-resistant, drip-dry epitome of a modern political leader, I’d probably write in Wendy Alexander’s name on the Labour Party’s leadership election ballot paper.
She may not be standing, but in my book, her reasons for not doing so proclaim her a queen among politicians, and should be rewarded.
That she should have the self-knowledge, and confidence, to say that she needs a life other than the frenetic, b
itchy and mercilessly intrusive existence she would be required to endure as First Minister, marks her out as having the qualities needed for the job.
Some of her colleagues are reported to be spitting mad at her refusal to jump in at the deep end.
They seem to believe that if she hadn’t given the question of running for the leadership some serious thought, had said "no" right from the start, some of her other colleagues would have stepped forward to challenge the man who would be, should be, king.
Their egos and ambitions are clouding their judgement.
Jack McConnell’s the best candidate they have. He’s improved on the competence he showed last year when most MSPs backed him in the contest with Henry McLeish. He’s gained experience and maturity tackling the SQA, and in trying to carve out a place for Scotland in Europe.
He’s probably been unbeatable since his performance in last year’s contest . . . Wendy Alexander was probably the only MSP who could have given him a run for his money. But if she had stood, she would have found it difficult, perhaps impossible, to be judged as a heavyweight alternative.
The stereotypes had already been dusted down before Henry McLeish’s First Ministerial car had crossed the Forth Bridge back home into Fife: he was Jack the Lad and she was Motormouth. He was a bit flash and she looked great after her makeover. He was his own man, she was Gordon Brown’s handmaiden. The first two would have irritated her, the third accusation would have diminished her politically. That should have been the strongest reason for her decision to fight another day. I don’t know her well enough to know if that consideration entered into her calculations. I hope it did.
Along with the ability to balance the satisfaction of running the show with the soul-destroying business of being on show, if Wendy has the political judgement to accept she has to lay down her own track record in place of always being sure of a place in Gordon Brown’s team, the stuff about her in the papers will focus less on her lipstick and more on her policies for lifelong learning and economic growth.
Wendy’s day will come, if she really wants it.
In Jack’s case, cometh the hour, cometh the man. He’s done his political apprenticeship, he’s even done a proper job. His teaching experience stood him in good stead over the past year. His stint as Labour’s fixer-in-chief a few years ago should also provide a template for his next clean-up job.
The stones that were upturned as a consequence of Henrygate make it essential that Labour’s next leader should re-design the Scottish political scene.
Jack should resist the temptation to allow snouts from other parties to take their turn at the trough . . . he should throw out the trough.
