 | 'Jim Devine, the MP for Livingston, said a recent opinion poll showed 79 per cent of respondents were turned off Labour because the party was divided. He said this had cast a shadow over the election of a new leader in Scotland, Iain Gray, and would make it more difficult to get activists to canvass during the by-election.' Ross Lydall in the Scotsman, 14 th September 2008. |  |
LABOUR MPs plotting against the Prime Minister risk wrecking the party's chances of avoiding defeat in the crucial Glenrothes by-election, it was claimed last night.
The warning came as a number of Scottish MPs told The Scotsman of their anger at the latest attacks on Gordon Brown and their fear at the harm it was doing to the party.
It came after Mr Brown sacked junior whip Siobhain McDonagh for requesting leadership ballot papers and as other minor Blairites went public with calls for the Prime Minister to face a challenge.
Jim Devine, the MP for Livingston, said a recent opinion poll showed 79 per cent of respondents were turned off Labour because the party was divided.
He said this had cast a shadow over the election of a new leader in Scotland, Iain Gray, and would make it more difficult to get activists to canvass during the by-election. He said: "We launched a new leader yesterday. We have the Glenrothes by-election. This is unacceptable behaviour. I think they have been self-centred and very selfish."
Many MPs spoken to yesterday by The Scotsman believed that more critics of Mr Brown were likely to emerge as part of an orchestrated campaign. "Siobhain McDonagh doesn't go to the toilet without asking somebody," Mr Devine said.
But they believed that Mr Brown would survive - saying that the time for a leadership challenge had been a year ago when Mr Brown was elected unopposed.
Jim Hood, MP for Lanark and Hamilton East, said he was sure the outbursts against Mr Brown were being orchestrated. "The only result of continuing with this is going to be a disaster for the party and for the government."
Another MP normally critical of the government said backbenchers and activists were "looking on in horror" at what she saw was the continuation of the Blair vs Brown "soap opera".
Mark Lazarowicz, MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, said: "There is nothing to be gained by this continued debate about leadership. I don't think there is going to be a challenge and I don't think there should."
Return to home page