Wishing on a coalition...?

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Labour says someone from the SNP has “tentatively approached” one of Iain Gray’s aides about a post-2011 alliance between the two rival parties. SNP officials call it nonsense. Commentators on the internet say it is a fabrication on the part of Labour.

The claims followed Labour suggestions that former Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy was to defect. But Charlie was most certainly not Labour’s darling. He would go to the grave with his Liberal Party membership in his pocket. Not much room for doubt there then….

A propensity for speculation is par for the course in any parliament. Ambitious politicians and their acolytes will plot their place on the political chessboard, trying to anticipate several moves in advance. There are also the less strategic players, lone rangers desperate to get noticed but not fussy whose attention they attract.

The claims about both Kennedy and SNP may both have sprung from this fertile and fetid soil.  This, however, does not make them robust. If I were to mix metaphors in the worse possible way, it’s a case of mountains from molehills, not great oaks from little acorns. Perhaps there was a seed of something behind each story. There is also the taint of Labour wishful thinking... To read the rest of this column go to The Scotsman

Comments

[Newsnet Scotland]

Hi

I wasn't suggesting you were an amateur, (although the Newsnet team are) nor was I suggesting that you have any editorial control over the Scotsman's output.

My comment was clearly meant tongue in cheek.

Anyway, the more journalists with the courage to speak out as you do the better.

Out of interest, in what way is it counterproductive to criticise The Scotsman? Are you suggesting that the paper will suddenly become balanced and informative if independence supporters remain silent and pretend all is well within Scotland's print industry?

There is an interesting article over at The Scots Independent that is critical of today's Scottish print media.

http://www.scotsindependent.org/

[joanmcalpine]

I do think it is rather counterproductive to criticise the paper then refuse to support a pro-independence columnist when they hire one! The "I hope they are paying you well" comment is uncalled for and petty. I am not an amateur commentator, it's how I make my living. As a freelance I don't determine the editorial direction of the papers for which I write.

[Newsnet Scotland]

"To read the rest of this column go to The Scotsman"

No thank you, however I hope that they are paying you well !!

Pity that no Scottish newspaper covered the scandalous 'Any Questions' broadcast from August 20th.

Still, read about the repercussions here:
http://newsnetscotland.com

[Andrew BOD]

Joan

If Scottish Labour, as widely predicted, win next year's election, will they form a coalition with Lib Dems? Plausible last year, but becoming less likely as every day of the Con-Lib Coalition passes.

Would Scottish Labour form a minority government? Again plausible, but with the mega-cuts coming Holyrood's way, this would be a thankless task.

Forgetting constitutional issues (I think they have been anyway,) and cutting through the sectarian rhetoric, how close are Labour and SNP policies? Not that far away really.

How many Labour and SNP voters switch to either of these two parties come election time. Many I would suggest.

The point about the bad blood, the vitriol that exists between the parties is well made. However, think about the heavy attacks Clegg and Cameron were making on one another only days before the forming of the coalition. They were quickly overcome. Who runs the Welsh Government in fact?

I for one wouldn't mind seeing some barriers broken down and some sensible dialogue in Holyrood, and I believe that would only happen if the two big Scottish parties formed an (unholy) alliance after the next election.