Scottish Labour seems to be imploding

41 - you win!

I grew up in an area where they used to say people would vote for a fence post if it was painted blue. Never voted Tory in my life and have lots of vivid memories of the Thatcher era. Generally voted labour in my early elections, then got disenchancted and have voted Lib Dem (thankfully not 2010 or since, I would be so disappointed if I had, after Nick Clegg sold himself out so cheaply), Green and even SNP in recent years (although clearly the SNP have lost me as a potential voter now ).

LOL, are we going to have a bit of competitive "I'm older than you"? I'm 52, and have been interested in politics (initially, as a sort-of adult, via Spare Rib, when I had an after-school job in RS McColl and spotted it on the shelves) since about, um, 1977. Was very lefty in my youth, and a Labour (and once Commie, and sometimes list SSP in more recent days) voter till Tony took over. While I was pleased at getting a Lab WM gvt, I had my doubts about him re Clause 4, and he (and all WM gvts since) simply followed Thatcherite policies, so I haven't voted Labour since.

But I had political awareness earlier than that, my dad was a great one for shouting at the telly/inviting canvassers into the house. My mum, to this day, addresses envelopes for the Tories (dad was Tory, but Old Skool, he died in 1980), takes a lift to the polling station from them, and has voted for Ming for years...

She said No, btw, she's in her 80's, if that counts.

And yourself?

I joined Twitter - lots of yes glee there!

Can't remember if you said how old you were - had the feeling you were younger than me?

Oh, of course it's not really going to be that we send 54 SNP MPs to WM, but give us disappointed Yessers a wee moment of glee, eh?

Politics hasn't been this much fun for as long as I can remember... And my memory goes back a fair while.

The 4 Labour seats also assumed uniform countrywide swing, which is unlikely. Of course likely increased turnout could mess with the pollster's models. No rest for Prof Curtice yet!

youGov poll has SNP 43% and Labour 27%.

Yeah, I linked at 14.08. 54 SNP MPs, with 4 Labour (and none of them Jim Murphy) and Ali Carmichael for the LibDems in Orkney and Shetland. Such fun.

Bloody hell! Have you seen the latest poll results for the GE for Scotland?

SNP 52%
Labour 23%
Conservatives 10%
Greens 6%
Liberal Democrats 6%
UKIP 2%

news.stv.tv/scotland-decides/297729-stv-poll-labour-would-annihilated-if-general-election-held-tomorrow/

labourlist.org/2014/10/anas-sarwar-steps-down-as-deputy-leader-of-scottish-labour/

Surely that's all the more reason for msm to interview them, highlight their backgrounds etc, so the ordinary Labour party members can make an informed choice? The unions are likely to go for Findlay anyway (can't see them supporting Jim) but the more info there is for the ordinary voter, the better. Msm seem to be behaving as if Jim's already been crowned.

And now Anas has resigned as Deputy? Wtf?

I have heard of her on and off (she gets mentioned in the local paper from time to time) but she hasn't had a high profile of late.

I hadn't heard of Findlay, but Boyack has been in the Scottish Parliament since 1999, and previously held Cabinet positions. She's not a newbie.

Boyack and Findlay aren't that well known as far as I can see.

I'm not spending much time reading nationalist blogs just now, but thanks for the link

lallandspeatworrier.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/murphy-expects-ritual-disembowelment.html Another interesting perspective on Jim Murphy's candidacy.

I'm not watching MSM atm, but keep reading that Mr M is getting disproportionate attention from our friends at Pacific Quay, compared to Boyack and Findlay. What a surprise.

Yes, things will be interesting for the SNP too, with the massive influx of new members (over 83,000 total now, from about 25k during indyref, I think) and of course Nicola in charge. Lots and lots of new members for the Greens and SSP too, which will make the Scottish Parliamentary elections even more fun come 2016; I'd like to see both of them gain more MSPs.

Interesting times, indeed.

There's some Labour councillor getting all snooty with the livestreamers on Twitter atm, she seems to think the food bank collection is a party political event. Sigh, they really don't get it, do they?

The old-fashioned bit of me says it would be terribly ill-mannered to live tweet from the Gala. The nosey, gossipy bit of me will be keeping an eye out for same. And if I spot one, I'll post here

OldLady About 40% of Lab voters said "Yes" and (varying according to which poll you look at) significant numbers of SNP voters voted "No" (including, technically, me, as I protest voted SNP for the first time in 2011).

I think all the Scottish parties need to refocus, including the SNP. I imagine the influx of new members and the change of leader will change party policy in due course - and if they're trying to appeal to Labour and ex-Labour voters, I'm not sure how they're going to keep the ex-Tory voters.

Gala will surely be fascinating - wonder if anyone will be live tweeting from it?

news.stv.tv/scotland-decides/297729-stv-poll-labour-would-annihilated-if-general-election-held-tomorrow/ Interesting poll...

new.livestream.com/accounts/8823479/LabourGalaDinner Sadly, this livestream will be from outside the gala dinner tonight, not inside. Live from about 6pm.

Neil Findlay on BBC Daily Politics now. Never seen him before. Disaster. If he wins, Scottish Labour might as well pack up.

Ian "bayonet the wounded" Davidson was in surprisingly good form, I have to say. SLab isn't even a regional branch, it's an accounting unit. That dinner tonight will be priceless, I may find myself glued to my Twitter feed.

I think the whole issue is that there isn't a Scottish Labour. Lamont was right, and it is being run as a regional branch from London.

Folk doing a silent protest & foodbank collection outside the dinner as well.

Did you read Ian Davidsons comments?

"The crisis at the heart of the Labour party in Scotland has intensified today – as a senior MP warned that the party was in the “middle of a coup” carried out by factions on the right of the party.

In what has been reported as a clear attack on Jim Murphy, Ian Davidson described the campaign against Johann Lamont as “the return of the Blairites and the Network” – and said it would be “absurd” for the next leader to be an MP who had never previously considered a role at Holyrood."

Jut watching some David Coburn videos on youtube. He is the best comedy value I've seen for years. It's a shame we don't see him on our news more often.

The best one that cracked me up is he just said to an interviewer on BBC Scotland that

"there is Faragemania breaking out in Scotland just now"

Christ almighty if Murphy is Scottish Labours answer I'm not sure they understand the question.

Good for the SNP though.