Wendy's leadership days may be numbered again. In addition to Gordon Brown saying he doesn't support Alexander's U-turn, Jack MacConnell and Henry Macleish have both publicly critised the decision.
Quote:
With the Prime Minister confirming the political distance between himself and his once-favoured protege, former first minister Henry McLeish attacked Ms Alexander.
"This is the worst of all possible worlds," said Mr McLeish. "We have marginalised the Calman Commission, confused the Scottish public, taken the Liberals and the Tories out of the equation and seemed more enthusiastic than the SNP to have a referendum."
He added: "Labour supporters and activists will find it difficult to work out what on earth is going on. It's hard to understand how Labour could get itself into this position. What about the public? They have been treated with contempt."
Jack McConnell, whose resignation ushered in Ms Alexander as Labour's Holyrood leader, warned of the need for "clarity" between Labour's leaders in Scotland and Westminster, and said they did not always have to agree on policy. "If there is a disagreement, let's have it out in the open and just admit that," said Mr McConnell. "What we need is to be able to move on with a clarity about what each is saying and get back to challenging the SNP government here in Scotland."
Former Scotland Office minister Brian Wilson, who opposed the devolution settlement, joined the public censure of Ms Alexander. He said: "To commit to a referendum which ultimately only the UK Government can deliver, without checking out what the UK Government thinks when it is of the same party - I think carelessness would be an understatement."
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The Herald story on it
She really doesn't have any luck. She's had Big Eck, Nicole Stephen and Annabel Goldie putting the boot in at every opportunity and now her own party are at it.
