Henry McLeish's tenure as First Minister of Scotland Question Time when he was shown to have lied over the sub-letting his constituency office.
Henry tried to stagger on, and offered to repay up to £36,000 wrongly claimed minster MP.
His fate was sealed when an SSP supporter Council told Tommy Sheridan that another unreported let existed which could have been arranged by McLeish's wile, an official in Fife.
McLeish changed his arransca specca to kariament from defiance to resigMSPs and the Labour Party has increased with the saga over lies and evasions, the election of McConnell, the sacking of the Executive and voting themselves large salary rises.
A Tale of No Debate Jack McConnell is the third First minister of Scotland to have been chosen without a Labour Party membership ballot or debate on policies.
The "blessed" Donald Dewar, Father of the Nation, was secretary or stare wach the post of Leader of the Scottish Labour Party was created in the run up to 1997 The left challenged at that time, ritually ChiaRosoR policies for the Parliament and re-clection of the leader post he wore acace. and Donald was duly elected Minister leader or the largest minorily in toc Parliament.
Dewar's administration is remembered one fied by "Donald's Dome" the Hollyrood Parliament He assured voters lion, but it will end up costing over £300 million. Scotland. Only 28 days are allowed under the Scotland And this parents and Blair were funeral, which meant there would then be no time for a membership-based election. bled together the election.
Blair and Brown made it wanted Meleish elected as the continuity 'safe candidate. ane umescale preventco a candidate discussed, and only Jack Mcconnell challenged McLeish.
MeLeish was elected by a narrow margin, effectively by the paid vote of governThe Labour left was determined to have a candidate she was effectively the prefor the next elections. The siding officer. No explanamain left grouping, tions were forthcoming and campaign for Socialism, had the meeting ended in anger. enough MSPs to ensure it Next day both lamicson could nominate a candidate and Ferguson were rewarded following McLeish's resigna- with posts in McConnell's new cabinet. The 'left" MSPs Labour's membership were outraged over PPP and Stock Seasies full debate where candidates McConnell and the Labour would present their views. leadership wanted to avoid a John McAllion had indi- acoale - and a contested clection ar all costs as standard bearer. But in the The Cull event he was only able to attract one other MSP nomi- McConnell has been referred to as 'Tack the knife for somel ranks instead of the five he I recall in 1987 Jack McConnell Action elected unopposed. AGM being advised by the Debate policy was chair to watch what we said when jack, then a member, Recriminations joined us after the Scot- ish Executive meeting and Rewards Prior to his election he told The Campaign for Socialism he press there would be n light of the Long Knives. I is the only significant left grouping within the event he got rid of all the cabinet members bar one -Wendy Alexander his chief were Bill Butler, ex Chair of he CiS, his partner Patricia rival.
He then added Transport to Ferguson, and Cathy deputy Leader of Wendy's already extensive and portfolio, in a move everyone prominent critic of Trident Including Wendy accepts is and PPP Campaign for Susan Deacon the former Socialism AGM the week- Health Minister was offered end following the appoint- the Social Justice portfolio, McConnell and turned it down. In pub. were asked to justify not lic she claims pregnancy as only their refusal to nomi- the reason, but it is rumnate but their would decision actually to nomi- accepted if she could have nate McConnell. ditched the Stock Transfer jamieson in particular was policy for which she would challenged, as she had pub- have been responsible - Jack refused. participate in the clections as The incoming ministers, He lied about the Long Knites - McConnell four of whom have till now been identified as on the left, have endorsed Jack nominating him or in Malcolm Chisholm and Wendy Alexander's publicly withdrawing their The outgoing ministers are seething over their treatment and now form a dissident voice on the back bench who defeated McConnell over some parliamentary appointments outgoing were mainly Gordon Brown MSP mised by this clection process.
Policies ? McConnell is on public record as supporting contincies. This remains the most likely outcome, but with Jack we must warch what he does not what he says.
As a suspect Nationalist, Jack has recently addressed the Westminster U70L0strengthen cooperation betthe and next week he changed meet. ing dates to prevent the head Civil Service with Downing Street Civil Service Heads.
Jack appears a more handssors. He feels happy to intervene in disputes such as the ence to the Minister nominally responsible. The "left" ministers' room for indepenchanges from -the new The left more cynical over the direction being taken, and the into the administration.
The Scottish Socialist Party is holding an open door for socialists who want to leave Labour and join the SSP