Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont presents her case for being the permanent leader of the opposition, must want her weekends free!

Dear All

Did you happen to catch the Labour leader Johann Lamont on Newsnight Scotland being interviewed by Isobel Fraser?

You could see the obvious distress in Ms Fraser’s attitude as she tried unsuccessfully to get a coherent answer from Ms. Lamont.

Having said there was ‘problems’ you might have thought Ms. Lamont had solutions.

But no, not a single one, apparently she needs help to form policy. The interview was effectively a party political broadcast from a woman seeking to be leader of the opposition….. Permanently!

The viewers did learn one thing; Ms Lamont hasn’t a creative vision.

This morning, as part of her re-election campaign to lead the opposition, she has decided to position Labour by ditching popular Scottish Government policies including the council tax freeze, free prescriptions for all and free university tuition in a dramatic policy shift.

When the Labour leadership was up for grabs I opined that possibly the worst candidate could win.

George Laird was right again.

Labour will learn that Lamont isn’t going to win Holyrood, she doesn’t have the personality and she doesn’t have the policies.

Her solution if you can call it that on reform is to pass the buck onto the people. On education, she wants to see the introduction of tuition fees.

On that single issue alone it would be enough to cost Labour a win in 2016.

She effectively gives Labour voters the option of sending their vote elsewhere.

Lamont said:

"Scotland cannot be the only something- for-nothing country in the world. I will not tolerate a country where the poorest pay for the tax breaks for the rich."

Holyrood doesn’t have control of tax!

Another aspect for her leadership is the new economic group, chaired by MP Cathy Jamieson and MSP Ken Macintosh and advised by Edinburgh University academic Arthur Midwinter.

Backing singers?

On the Council tax freeze, Lamont argues the "cost" was being paid in job cuts and reduced services across Scotland.

It is, but more important is the lack of public sector reform, which is sorely needed, but nothing of that nature will take place until after the independence vote in late 2014.

Professor James Mitchell, at Strathclyde University, said:

"Labour is in a difficult place – it must either align itself with policies from south of the Border in order to emphasise its Unionism or with the SNP and its own previous policies but thus undermine the Union."

I disagree there is a third way, but it requires more work that the current political parties are prepared to do.

Eventually people will look seriously at these people and wonder if it isn’t time for a vote shift, whoever can create extraordinary policies can only gain from public support.

Last night on Newsnight Scotland, Johann Lamont stepped up to the plate and couldn’t hit the ball never mind score a homerun, Holyrood is looking increasingly poverty stricken for ideas compared to Westminster.

Her new ideas dramatic policy shift, no traction and as popular as the Ebola Virus.

And the interview on Newsnight Scotland pure car crash TV.

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University