Glimmer of hope for Labour Scotland as Executive Committee elects Left members | The SKWAWKBOX
Kezia Dugdale: Is her position as Scottish Labour leader in danger?
Just to add one casual observation: If Ms Dugdale were to be deposed at some point in the not-too-distant future, to be replaced by a left-wing Scottish Labour leader, that would change the composition of the National Executive Committee.
Ms Dugdale was nominated onto that committee in an undemocratic move by right-wingers who were so desperate to deny Jeremy Corbyn a working majority on the NEC that they betrayed Labour Party democracy and brought themselves and the party’s workings into disrepute at the national conference last year.
In case you missed it, last week a chink of light appeared that Labour can at least begin its much-needed fightback in Scotland.
In elections for the ‘CLP’ (constituency Labour party) section of the Scottish Executive Committee (SEC), Momentum-slate candidates won 5 of 8 places, leaving the party’s Left just short of an overall majority on the committee.
With the SEC’s two youth-delegate places both up for grabs in May, a good result there would give the Left a reliable majority on key issues.
This is bad news for Kezia Dugdale, the leader of the Scottish party – but essential news for any hopes of a Labour comeback. In Scotland, even more than in England, Blairism is a ‘busted flush’ and, in spite of attempts to pin the blame for the party’s predicament on Jeremy Corbyn (like everything else wrong with the world), Labour’s parliamentary disaster in Scotland occurred well before he was even on the radar – and the right-wing Ms Dugdale shows no signs whatever of being able to improve that situation.
A majority-left SEC is likely to embolden a challenger – and a more-aware Scottish membership means Ms Dugdale would be unlikely to command enough support to retain her leadership.
With her impediment out of the way, Scottish Labour can begin the long, slow, painful struggle to rebuild its significance north of the border.
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Slowly, but surely……. Next, the Welsh Labour Conference……..
“a challenger” ——–– “Ms Dugdale would be unlikely to command enough support to retain her leadership”.
I like the sentiments. If Kezza was to be deposed, I doubt if many Scots would notice her departure, unless of course the challenger really did come up with decent policies (particularly ones that didn’t change at the rate of your knickers). The problem is, who could that be? There are a few left-wingers, whose hearts are in the right place, but I don’t see a leader able to effect much of a turn-around at the moment.