So after here impressive role during the Scottish referendum, Lamont steps down. Will Gordi step in??

If ever there was an example of unintended consequences!!!

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-29765415

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/96b05434-5bc6-11e4-81ac-00144feab7de.html?siteedition=uk#axzz3H8pMvXu2

Gordi as first minister of Scotland?

If The Labour Party in Scotland want to be independent of UK Labour they should setup and fund their own party, perhaps that’s Lamonts intention. Gordon’s making £600k pa speaking already so can’t see him standing for re-election.

Gordon’s making £600k pa speaking already so can’t see him standing for re-election.

I think it’s highly likely that he will seek re-election next year.

And since he is motivated by altruistic considerations rather than personal gain, with regards to the extra money above his day job that he earns, I can’t see why he wouldn’t give it up if he felt that he could be more effective back in front line politics.

He’s having too much fun commenting from the sidelines. All the fun and thrust without any of the responsibility. It’s a shame though because the labour party in Scotland need someone of his calibre to challenge the SNP.

Jim Murphy or Alistair Campbell would make decent alternatives though.

I’m not sure it’ll matter who’s leader of Scottish labour, they look to be heading for a libdemesque fall from grace. Please vote Jim murphy in as leader, would make it all the sweeter to see them trounced with him in charge.

Alistair Campbell

Darling 😳

@ernie, I’d be happy to see him back in front line politics but I think having been PM of the UK he is looking beyond Scotland. Also his speaking revenues are held to fund his political office and projects so not what I would call altruistic. It’s questionable as to whether for example he could now lead the IMF but that’s the sort of job he’s looking at IMO.

He has risen beyond his level – FM of Scotland might be more suitable but not sure I would wish that on my Scottish friends. A bit of a pickle in Scottish labour though……

Brown, Murphy, Alexander et al have no interest in the “diddy wee pretendy” parliament.

It was important enough to them in securing their tenure on the real gravy train at Westminster. Holyrood and Scottish Branch Leader may appear more attractive to them when their contempt and belligerence for Holyrood costs them their seats next May. Even then, I believe they will see it as beneath them.

Labour has to learn it has no divine right to rule Scotland anymore and start putting constituents ahead of party. It can only regain credibility once those lessons are corrected, but they appear to have no interest in learning.

Gordi as first minister of Scotland?

Wont happen in my lifetime. A Labour FM that is.

I never liked Gordon before, although I found aspects of his personality sympathetic. During the referendum, however, I was deeply impressed by his passion.

I wouldn’t mind seeing him lead Labour in Scotland.

I think he’d be quite up for being First Minister… but they’re not recruiting for a first minister, they’re recruiting for a leader of the opposition.

After watching the referendum night shows, I think we need to create a special role for Jim Murphy- Minister for Making UKIP Look Like Fannies.

I wouldn’t mind seeing him lead Labour in Scotland.

I bet that’s what he SNP are hoping for. Another useless incompetent donkey not managing to lead Labour. I can see the posters already “outlawed boom and bust”, “remember our gold reserves”, “ex-politician”

jambalaya – Member

Also his speaking revenues are held to fund his political office and projects so not what I would call altruistic.

Well you wouldn’t call it altruistic would you, because you are a Tory and you’re far more interest in criticising Labour politicians than ever giving them any credit.

It is clear that Gordon Brown does not personally gain financially from any money his speaking engagements raise. The “projects” which you refer to are charitable projects, not profit making projects.

Office of Gordon & Sarah Brown

Mr Brown’s sole personal earnings are his salary as an MP. In 2009 he renounced the Prime Ministerial pension he was entitled to receive. He pays full tax on his income.

I am no fan of the Labour Party and I consider Gordon Brown to have a particularly high level of culpability for the sins of New Labour, he after all was the real brains in the cabal, not those intellectual pygmies Tony Blair and Peter Mandelson. But it is ridiculous to suggest that Gordon Brown is motivated by personal gain when he so clearly isn’t.

* cough *

EXC: Gordon Brown Office Has £10,000-a-Week “Expenses” Raises Over £3 Million, Gives Less Than £1 Million to Charity

* cough *

Oh well done, you’ve found a mud-raking article by Guido Fawkes full of innuendos. Now show me the proof that Gordon Brown has “personally gained financially” from money his speaking engagements raise.

Which apparently, according to what you have copied and pasted from my post, is what you are disputing.

I am no fan of the Labour Party and I consider Gordon Brown to have a particularly high level of culpability for the sins of New Labour, he after all was the real brains in the cabal, not those intellectual pygmies Tony Blair and Peter Mandelson. But it is ridiculous to suggest that Gordon Brown is motivated by personal gain when he so clearly isn’t.

This. There are enough genuine reasons to criticise him; no need to make new ones up.

I am no fan of the Labour Party and I consider Gordon Brown to have a particularly high level of culpability for the sins of New Labour, he after all was the real brains in the cabal,

It takes real brains to achieve high levels of culpability, then? Presumably that’s culpability for the shite he left us with when he was turfed out.

Interesting though that Johann Lamont has spent the last couple of years telling us how much better off we are being ruled by Westminster and that we can’t make our own decisions, then packs in her job because she doesn’t want to be ruled by Westminster and is over-ruled from London

It is clear that Gordon Brown does not personally gain financially from any money his speaking engagements raise. The “projects” which you refer to are charitable projects, not profit making projects.

http://gordonandsarahbrown.com/office-of-gordon-sarah-brown/
Well done on finding such an unbiased article from such a neutral source.
Does it explain why he’s voted on less than 15% of votes in the current parliament?

BTW, from the Register of Members Interests

Payments as Distinguished Global Leader in Residence at New York University: Campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi and Florence. Hours: ongoing commitment.
Address: 70 Washington Square South, New York, NY 10012:
Payment of £123,846.68 for travel, staff and research fund. (Registered 25 October 2013)
Accommodation paid for me and my staff in Shanghai; value £1,092.60. (Registered 25 October 2013)
Accommodation paid for me and my staff in New York; value £1,313.65 (Registered 23 April 2014)
Flights, transport and accommodation paid for me and my staff in Bonn; value £2,576.41. (Registered 11 July 2014)
Accommodation paid for me and my staff in Abu Dhabi; value £835.63. (Registered 22 July 2014)
I am not receiving any money from this role personally. It is being held by the Office of Gordon and Sarah Brown to support my ongoing involvement in public life.

It would take the lovechild of Ghandi and John Smith to revive Labour in Scotland. Brown won’t fancy it.

Well you wouldn’t call it altruistic would you, because you are a Tory and you’re far more interest in criticising Labour politicians than ever giving them any credit.

@ernie you called it altuistic, I’d call it pragmatic. If either of us could be bothered we could search back and find plenty of pro-Brown and pro-Labour quotes from me, in particular his intervention in the referendum campaign. In fact more pro-Labour quotes from me than you I’d say.

It would take the lovechild of Ghandi and John Smith to revive Labour in Scotland. Brown won’t fancy it.

This. Labour are finished there with respect to the Scottish Parliament as the SNP have captured all their votes and they will not be coming back.

We’ve got one! Sarah Boyack only took one step back while everyone else took two, so finds herself running for leader. Her initial comments suggest she’s not daft enough to think she’s going to achieve anything in the next election so that’s probably a good start

BigButSlimmerBloke – Member

Well done on finding such an unbiased article from such a neutral source.

It’s not a neutral source it’s Gordon Brown explaining what he does with the income he receives over and above what he gets as a back bench MP.

Are you accusing him of lying ?

the income he receives over and above what he gets as a back bench MP

at least you didn’t try to claim he earns his parliamentary salary

at least you didn’t try to claim he earns his parliamentary salary

Why wouldn’t he earn his parliamentary salary – are you suggesting that he’s lazy and fails to represent his constituents ?

His constituents appear to be highly satisfied with their MP, in more than 30 years as an MP his vote has always been above 50%, very few MPs can claim that level of support from their constituents.

At the last general election he increased his vote to 64.5% in comparison his nearest rival, the SNP candidate, got a derisory 14.3% of the vote.

It would appear that the voters of Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath are fully satisfied that their MP “earns his parliamentary salary”.

Brown’s erecord in Parliament includes

Has spoken in 7 debates in the last year — well below average amongst MPs.

Has voted in 12.94% of votes in this Parliament with this affiliation — well below average amongst MPs. (From Public Whip)

Are you suggesting that not voting and not debating is how an MP should represent their constituency?

The “projects” which you refer to are charitable projects, not profit making projects.

Didn’t Lance Armstrong do a lot of “charitable” not “profit making” stuff as well?

There’s a lot more to being an MP than voting in parliament- people in my constituency complain that Alistair Darling is away in London too much and never around to speak to his constituency.

That said his voting record is very bad, Russell Brand’d approve.

Given that he described himself as an “ex-politician” whilst still an MP, there really isn’t too much to debate. People will be calling him prudent next!

Are you suggesting that not voting and not debating is how an MP should represent their constituency?

I’m suggesting that a clear majority of voters in his constituency are satisfied with their MP.

You can pluck figures from theyworkforyou.com while completely ignoring what they themselves clearly state, eg :

Simply put, we realise that data such as the number of debates spoken in means little in terms of an MP’s actual performance. MPs do lots of useful things which we don’t count yet, and some which we never could. Even when we do, a count doesn’t measure the quality of an MPs contribution.

Our advice — when you’re judging your MP, read some of their speeches, check out their website, even go to a local meeting and ask them a question. Use TheyWorkForYou as a gateway, rather than a simple place to find a number measuring competence.

but that doesn’t change the fact that for the last 30 years Gordon Brown has enjoyed the support of the majority of the voters he has represented, very few MPs can claim that.

You don’t have one of the largest majorities in the country for 30 years (and the 3rd safest Labour seat in the UK) by being a lazy and incompetent MP.

Now show me the proof that Gordon Brown has “personally gained financially” from money his speaking engagements raise.

it’s probably all going into very tax efficient “Trusts” for Brown jnr

but that doesn’t change the fact that for the last 30 years Gordon Brown has enjoyed the support of the majority of the voters he has represented, very few MPs can claim that

it’s well known that in some constituencies that you can put Ed or Dave’s cat up on the voting form and the respective cat would get elected

If I was getting £10k a week for expenses I think I’d be able to find something to spend it on so that I didn’t “gain financially”.

it’s probably all going into very tax efficient “Trusts” for Brown jnr

By probably do you mean that you don’t a shred of evidence to support any claim of impropriety by Gordon Brown but you feel the need to suggest something ?

it’s well known that in some constituencies that you can put Ed or Dave’s cat up on the voting form and the respective cat would get elected

Well generally on here is politicians who are ridiculed and vilified. I guess when that doesn’t work it’s the turn of voters – and how stupid they all are ?