Is Gordon Brown Calling the Shots?

There’s increasing speculation that the current red – green negotiations are being driven from the very top of the Labour party. Rumour has it that Gordon Brown himself has basically told Rhodri Morgan to do anything to stop a Rainbow deal.

It makes political sense for Gordon of course with the next General Election in mind; the last thing he wants is open hostility along the whole Celtic fringe. The SNP are already running rings around the Westminster government, the last thing Gordon needs is more trouble coming from Wales.

Project Gordon has tried to circumvent the problem of his status as a Scottish MP by portraying him and the Labour party as the embodiment of Britishness. I think they have got it totally wrong, trying to act as the dam against the inevitable flood will get Labour nowhere. It seems ironic that the party that proposed devolution has been less able to adjust to the new political dynamics created.

There is little doubt that the Tories will probe at the Scottish roots of the PM in waiting as we near the General Election. Rebellion from the Celtic fringes will only fuel rightful desires for English self determination. The problem for Gordon is that English voters are more than likely to look to the Eton boy than the MP for Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath.

Which brings us back to Wales. If I was a Brown strategist, I’d definitely be telling Rhodri to do the deal.

'Uninspiring and Clueless' - Labour

The Scotsman today leads with Labour sources conceding defeat to the SNP. Recent polls in Scotland show the SNP continuing to pick up support. Jack McConnell and Alex Salmond go head to head tonight on TV.

Labour sources are placing the blame directly on McConnell. The report further criticises Labour’s lack of strategy – claiming decisions are being made on a day to day basis.

The same goes for Labour in Wales of course. Labour has no organised central core. The strategy seems all over the place. And Rhodri Morgan has the look of a man resigned to failure.

In Scotland, neither the Tories nor Labour have ruled out a Red-Blue coalition of unionists in order to stop the SNP forming a Government. Should Plaid do better than expected and gain parity with Labour, would we see a Red-Blue deal in Wales?