Wendy Alexander

Tom Griffin (London, The Green Ribbon): The BBC is reporting that Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander is to resign in the wake of the Holyrood Standards Committee's decision to hand her a one-day ban for failing to declare donations. More as we get it.

Guy Aitchison (London, OK): With all the hubbub surrounding Wendy Alexander’s U turn on a referendum last week I missed the Constitution Unit’s contribution to the debate, released in this press notice.

According to the Unit a “Yes” vote by the Scots in a referendum authorised by Holyrood would not be enough to secure independence. There would need to be two referendums. The first would be a “consultative referendum” authorised by Holyrood. It would deal with the “principle” of independence and permit the Scottish Parliament to enter into negotiations with Westminster which has the final say under the Scotland Act. The second referendum, authorised by Westminster, would deal with the terms and conditions of Scottish independence (including that Scotland should separate from the UK). Says the Unit’s Director, Robert Hazell: “People in Scotland might support independence in principle, but think again when confronted with the terms of independence. The terms will include not just issues like North Sea oil, but division of the national debt, ending all financial transfers from the UK government, and Scotland’s continued membership of the EU. The Scots are entitled to know the detailed terms of independence before making such a big decision”.

In his post on the Alex-Wendy debate last week, Anthony pointed out that “Labour has conceded an absolutely stunning constitutional principle: it has accepted that the Scottish parliament has the right to call a referendum that will decide on that country's independence.” If the Constitution Unit is right, however, Alexander’s call to Salmond to “bring it on” is of somewhat less significance. She is simply recognising Holyrood’s right to seek authority through referendum to enter into negotiations with Westminster: a requisite second referendum on the outcome of these negotiations might convince the Scots to change their minds.

Tom Griffin (London, The Green Ribbon): In her Labour conference speech on Saturday, Wendy Alexander tried to frame the Scottish political debate as one of 'socialist against nationalist'.

The world over, politics comes down to a choice

Tom Griffin (London, The Green Ribbon): Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander made a bold bid to take back the Scottish constitutional agenda on Sunday with the launch of her policy document, Change is What We Do:

Jon Bright (London, OK): According to this article in the Sunday Herald, Gordon Brown is refusing to call Wendy Alexander's Scottish Constitutional Commission a commission, so as not to give an "incorrect impression about its status" - adding weight to all those who believe that Brown wants the "working party" (as I think it will now be called) both limited in its scope and controlled by Number 10. What would the effect be of Alexander's party coming back with only a few desultory extra powers of devolution? Or, perhaps even worse, calling for the return of some powers from Holyrood to Westminster?

Mike Small (Fife, The Guardian): As Iain MacWhirter wrote the other day in the Herald: "You have to wonder if Labour has acquired a death wish. How could it be so stupid, so irresponsible, as to plunge into another self-inflicted crisis just as Alex Salmond's honeymoon was beginning to wear off? The Scottish Labour Party had an opportunity to make a fresh start with a new leadership and it is throwing it away."

Tom Griffin (London, The Green Ribbon): You wouldn't know it from the debate about the future of North Sea oil, but the Labour Party has moved a long way towards accepting greater powers for the Scottish Parliament recently. In her first press conference as Scottish Labour leader-elect, Wendy Alexander said she was prepared to consider fiscal autonomy for Holyrood. "We need to look at how politicians are more financially accountable," she told reporters. "This has to be a dialogue within the UK." Greater tax powers were also reportedly under discussion at a recent meeting between Labour, the Conservatives and the Lib Dems to discuss an alternative to the SNP's National Conversation.

Pat Kane (Glasgow, Scottish Futures): Wendy Alexander's unopposed coronation as the new leader of the Labour Party in Scotland is, as the Demos-associated political commentator Gerry Hassan says, something of a failure for the left in Scotland. But given the family connections to the very heart of the new Brown regime - her brother Douglas is Labour's general-election coordinator - will her ascendancy mean anything other than the enactment of Gordon's writ north of the border? Well, it depends whether you think that writ is quite as staunchly Unionist and no-change as voices like the current Scottish Secretary of State, Des Browne, might suggest.