Jim Murphy standing down

[ClaudiaNaughton]

Who will accept the poisoned chalice?

Ms Dugdale?

Kezia or Jackie I reckon

Kezia

Who's going to want it when they will have no power to make the changes necessary for them not to fail spectacularly next May and the new leader having to step down?

What was wrong with Neil Findlay? He stood last time, seemed decent, nobody voted for him.

It needs to be someone who can effectively challenge the SNP and win back the voters.

I think Jim tried really hard during the referendum, showing us the nasty side of nationalism with the egging etc, but he wasn't the leader then. He would have been a better leader if he had been in the post for longer & pre referendum.

Findlay is too left wing for the party HQ. He might actually be able to make the changes desperately needed but he'd need the autonomy to do so. And it'll take a lot longer than next May.

Having seen a few debates between Kezia & Nicola; Kezia is far too inexperienced for the role.

BUT, I'm an SNP supporter, so I'd vote for Kezia!

I've had a look at the 38 Labour MSPs, none really stand out tbh. Kez has potential, but agree she's inexperienced and Nicola eats her for breakfast most weeks at FMQ. Mind you, that might be because her backroom supporters aren't very good at their jobs; the week before the GE they actually sent an email to Nicola's official FM addy asking for help in a last minute push for voters...

Here's what the bookies are saying...

Good to see Neil Findlay up there. He may have been too left for hq but that was when hq thought they know what the voters wanted (and thought that was centre-right politics).

Ian Murray is a damn good local mp but selfishly I'd rather he stay a backbencher.

Problem is, HQ still think that chasing the centre-right vote is the way to go. They keep saying they're listening to the people, but it's the wrong people if they want to rescue "Scottish Labour". I think an entirely separate party, with their own policies might be needed.

Ian Murray would still be a backbencher even if elected leader, it wouldn't affect his WM status at all.

Neil Findlay says "I want to make it crystal clear I will NOT be a candidate for the position of Scottish Labour leader. Now back to watching the tele!"

Neil Findlay got quite a lot of the vote last time. Sarah Boyack also stood but didn't get much.

Agree with you Hirples. Until Labour realise what's gone wrong they can't choose the right leader. And they're proving to be remarkably slow on the uptake!

I'm just going to grit my teeth and ignore the praise Jim Murphy got for highlighting the egging incident ... the poor wee lamb ...

Right at the moment, the low calibre of Lab MSPs shows where their priorities have lain - at WM. Now they've been wiped out, some will presumably try to get into HR on the lists (probably safer than standing as a constituency candidate, and they've all been chosen already). That will give more options for a decent leader next year, but in the meantime it looks as if Kezia is the natural replacement for Jim, and she'll just have to fall on her sword next May.

Perhaps she can stage a comeback later.