Scottish Labour Still In The Pocket of London Dominated Party

Jim Murphy has stood down as Scottish Labour leader. Labour lost 40 of its 41 Scottish constituencies to the Scottish National Party (SNP) in the UK General Election, including Mr Murphy's East Renfrewshire seat. After this disaster for Labour Jim Murphy said he would draw up plans for reforms which he hoped would lead to the party's recovery in Scotland. Speaking at a media conference in Glasgow on Saturday afternoon he announced a set of proposals which he said had been agreed in principle by the party's executive council. 

Missing from these proposals was one that many of its previous supporters were keen to see. That Scottish Labour should break away from the main UK Labour Party. Jim Murphy's predecessor, Johann Lamont resigned as leader of the Scottish Labour Party, having accused her colleagues of trying to run Scotland “like a branch office of London”. This was after the Labour Party had opposed a free and independent Scotland in last years referendum. They took part in a campaign riddled with half truths and downright lies. An act of treachery by Labour that has since been punished by Scotland's voters in this years General Election.

However, despite all the promise of far reaching reforms Scottish Labour remains firmly in the pocket of the London dominated UK Labour Party. Asked whether he felt the Scottish Labour Party should break away from the UK Labour Party, Jim Murphy said: "Having campaigned to stay within the United Kingdom, I'm thinking it makes sense just a few short months later to retain those links with the United Kingdom Labour Party.' This all bodes badly for Labour who will face Scottish Parliament elections next May. Polls suggest the SNP support is continuing to rise and the party could be on course to win even more seats in the Scottish Parliament next year. Meanwhile Labour continues to flounder with no sign of any come back.