SO, AS WE SUSPECTED, JEREMY WON

AND WITH AN INCREASED MAJORITY...

...Despite the purge of anyone suspect, including people who had been members for over 50 years. So first off, Congratulations Mr Corbyn.

SO NOW WHERE TO?

Where does this leave Labour?

And for us in Scotland, perhaps more importantly, where does that leave Kezia?

Will the rebels accept the 'settled will' of the membership, or what's left of it now it has been purged? Or will there be another rebellion next year? 

And will they, this time, find someone a little more credible to put up as leader? (With respect neither Eagle nor Smith seemed to me to be remotely likely to win a general election. Both were decidedly third rate.) 

But there are potential leaders on the right of Labour, not least Hilary Benn or the guy that lost to Ed Miliband, his brother, David. Will someone like Benn be prepared to put himself forward, for possible humiliation, against a man who has twice won with massive majorities,  in a party that seems to be set on returning to a left of centre politics? And would Miliband give up his massive salary in New York to possibly be humiliated again and be left as a mere MP on a fraction of what he now earns?

Or will the right wingers leave Labour and elect their own leader as New Labour, or even New Improved Labour? (Now don't laugh. Persil has been doing it for years.) Possibly leaving the current Labour party as a rump, while New Sparkling Labour forms the official opposition, but with few members and no money.

Will Kezia be saved by the apparent fact that Scotland was the only "region" to vote for Smith? Or by the fact that in an amazing volte-face, she now thinks he's the man to lead Labour to a UK election win?

And what will happen to the ex-Shadow Secretary of State? Will he, like his boss, (*is she his boss or is Jeremy his boss?) suck up to the man they think is a disaster, or will he remain a rebel and maybe even stand himself next year? (Well we all need a laugh!) 

* Quick question to Niko: If Labour in Scotland has autonomy, and they disagree about something, what does the ex-SoS do as Scotland's only Labour MP? Is he whipped with English and Welsh MPs or as a Scottish MP of Kezia?

Kez's speech put a brave face on it, but clearly, as the pictures show, her heart isn't in it. 

How long will all this mess last and what will be the outcome?

Over to the brilliance of Munguin's readership...

THERE IS SOMEONE EVEN LESS POPULAR THAN GORDON BROWN!

It's interesting that, according to an article in the Independent tomorrow, the two big guns that have been wheeled out to put Corbyn down are far less popular than Corbyn himself.

Corbyn would decrease Labour's chance of winning an election by 10%, but Blair would decrease their chances by 43% and Brown by 45%! Horrific results by comparison. 

Of course the real horror of the Labour party would be the last leader! Ed would decrease their vote by 50%!

Horrifyingly, arch Blairout and all round bad fellow, David Miliband, would increase their chances of winning by 11%. The man is all but a Tory.

What's happened to their internal intelligence? Surely someone must have been aware that Gordon Brown is the kiss of death, so why did they haul him out of his retirement in Los Angeles to run a marathon back and forwards on the stage in London today...?

Answers on a postcard.

IF THIS IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE FAIR PLAY AND THE MUCH VAUNTED BRITISH VALUES

THEN THE LYING BASTARDS CAN SHOVE THEM

House voted against the permanency of Scottish Parliament. Vow and Smith commitments not honoured by the Rt. Honourable Tory party members (Richard Arkless MP).

SO THIS HAPPENED...ELECTION REFLECTIONS III

By Panda Paws

Scotland now has more nuclear submarines than unionist MPs and one of them is anti-Trident! I doubt many of us predicted that the SNP would win 56 seats. I literally cheered as some of the results came in. No louder cheer than when Kirsten Oswald defeated Jim Murphy.  A constituency that as recently as 1997 was solid Tory and had one of the highest No votes in 2014 now has a SNP MP. In 2010, the SNP got circa 4000 votes, in 2015 over 23,000, the majority of them coming from former Labour votes (and the lower number of Tory votes indicated tactical voting from them as I expected). The Tories madams of the Mearns are having a fit of the vapours.

Of course this SNP dominance is a reflection of the unfairness of FPTP; the same unfairness that allowed Labour to dominate Scotland’s political landscape for decades. Only now will it be seen a problem and parties that were lukewarm on PR voting previously will be taking a second look no doubt!

The SNPout lot are proclaiming the delivery of a majority Tory government as a success for them. (Is it bad of me to be amused that Effie Dean’s MP is now (apparently) Alex Salmond?) The SNP will be powerless they say sniggering to themselves; too myopic to see that nothing says useless, dysfunctional union more than the democratic will of Scotland being completely irrelevant. Perhaps I’m naïve but I believed the SNP when they said they wanted to lock the Tories out of Downing St, but there is no getting away from the fact that a majority Tory government is the last thing an ailing union needed and a great boost for the independence cause. The 2015 general election wasn’t a mandate for independence but 5 years of right wing policies and a likely EU referendum might well be.

But what of the here and now? As one of the 1% - the bottom 1% that is, the next few years will be tough. Less than 24 hours into government and the Tories were talking about slashing Access to Work, the scheme that helps disabled people enter and remain in the workplace. And repealing fox hunting legislation – apparently that’s a priority in the list of the UK’s problems. So that’s the weak and vulnerable in their sights. No-one under 50 is likely to remember what full fat Toryism is like. So let me give you an idea - you should be grateful they aren’t legalising the hunting of the unemployed!

The best we can hope for is that the SNP show Labour what an opposition looks like. And it isn’t being slightly less toxic than the Tories. I’m pleased that the 6 have become 56. The dog’s abuse thrown in the 6’s direction would have tried the patience of a saint. At least now they will have allies around them.

But what of Labour?

At the time of writing Jim Murphy aims to remain as leader of Labour in Scotland. However some trade unions are already calling for him to go, his erstwhile opponent Neil Findlay has resigned the shadow cabinet and there are mutterings behind the scenes. And indeed in front of them. Iain, “the doing”, Davidson interviewed on BBC on election night fully booted the boot in Murphy making it clear he wanted him gone.

“The man who's led us to the biggest ever disaster." Ian Davidson on Jim Murphy ex MP.

And that, my friend, is what bayoneting the wounded looks like!

The Chinese had it right; we are cursed to live in interesting times. 
++++++++++++

Thanks Panda Paws for this superb post. Much appreciated too!!!

Can I also recommend Bruce's post reflecting on the election, and that of Andrew Page, who looks, as ever, very honestly, at the Liberals' plight.
++++++++++++

You might like to take part in the poll about Jim's future, if you haven't already got voting fatigue!
See in right hand side bar...

OWEN JONES POSES A POSSIBLE OUTCOME TO THE ELECTION...

SO, THERE'S STILL AN ELECTION TO COME AND WE ASKED BALDRICK FOR ADVICE: HE CONCLUDES THAT PEOPLE LIKE NICOLA STURGEON

But first, an intervention from the clunking fist.

Well, we know you're not getting paid for this any more Gordon, but you could have at least feigned a little interest in what this man was saying, well OK, reading. How would you have liked it if, when you were young, an ex prime minister had come along to one of your speeches and slept through it?

That's great Baldrick. What is it?

Set up a stall with pretty red balloons.
That will get the people interested.
Red balloons are very pretty. People like pretty things.

Or we could wheel out the geriatric squad fro a bit of violence.
People like a bit of violence.

Or for an undisclosed sum of money we can get disgraced has beens to change how they already changed allegiance
when they were thrown out of their old party for being on the fiddle. 
Let's face it, he'll do anything for some money. 
He hasn't got a job, you know.
But he's a Striver, not a skiver
That goes down well with ordinary folk. 

Better still, we could get all cool and write it on a tablet.
Young people like tablets. They all carry them around.
Dunno how they manage it.

Did I mention that we could have a stall with red balloons?

Oh I know, we could get out that dippy woman again.
People like dippy women.

Or we could have a big meeting over some taxpayer funded food.
People like royal weddings and they always have vast amounts of taxpayer funded grub. Maybe Harry could marry Sally.
I saw the film where they met.

We could all say different things to prove we are human.
People like humans, well some of them anyway.

Or we could always say exactly the same thing...folk like consistency.

OK, even I can see that this is not a cunning plan.
We'll put him back in a box under the bed.

We could try to wake up the House of Lords and get them to .... No?
 OK bad plan. People don't like the House of Lords!

Got it.
Cunning or what? Jim could scare the living daylights out of old people.
It worked last time. Old people like being scared, and Jim is super scary!

Red balloons didn't work but we could try blue ones? People like blue. It's a pretty colour. People like pretty colours

Or get these blue people to stand at our stalls....
People like a mixture of colours

Nah, wait. This is a stroke of genius.
We could get that Nicola Sturgeon to come
and speak about left wing politics for ordinary people.
That should do the trick. People like left wing policies.

Yeah, look. No matter where she goes, she attracts massive crowds.
People like Nicola Sturgeon.

FOTOS ON FRIDAY

Thanks for the advice, Grand-mama.

Thanks for the advice, Mama.

Hum...  Nope.

The Labour Family Business.

And the programme that they gave the dopey one of the family.

Who would have guessed it? Bet we have the most food banks too
See, the UK is at the top of a lot of lists.

Aye. Vow now Brown cow...

Took him a while but he's a true blue now.

You would have thought that even a UKIP candidate might have been expected to knowthe name of his potential constituency.
He's standing for ARLESEY.

I hope with all my heart that it gave them all indigestion.
Funded by the UK government!

I will not pretend I liked Johann Lamont.
But she was worth ten of this pillock
who is trying to blame his mess on her.
Man up, you slimy creep. You'll make no
friends that way.

You LOVE them, dontcha?

Not a huge difference between them
Ed would rather do business with Dave, than Nicola.

Love the idea of Pickles as the fat monk.

Well done Jim. Quite a turn out.

Well done Nicola. Quite a turn out.

Absolutely right. You politicians are nothing special
You are our staff.
Some would do well to remember that.

Friday's Fotos

Yep, that's a good question.

Oh look. That's so sweet. The colour co-ordinated his tie
and her straight jacket.

This is made from the waste on our plates over the last few weeks.
I hope you like truffles, foie gras and chocolate chip ice cream.

Just who is that going to help in the election then?

They are doping brisk business with balloons...

You can always trust the Sun to tell you the erm...truth...

Bless him, I bet he wishes he'd avoided pressing that   flesh.

Nigel wrote it when he was pissed. Only explanation.
Either that or they really are dim as 1/2w lightbulbs.

One can't help but assume that their policy is to bring down the costs
of sickness benefit by any measure available, including killing off the sick.

Oooops, Ed. How embarrassing.

Erm, let's see. Oh yeah. Richard Benyon?

Look like they are all bursting with enthusiasm.
You musta fired them up good there Jim.

How's that working out then?

Anything rather than vote on horrible left wing socialist policies...
eh Jim?

Keep him there Nicola. He can't cause too much more hardship
and misery when he's
wetting his pants standing on the kitchen chair.

I'm betting that's done your campaign a power of good, Alex, petal.

Certainly weren't heard by you, you heartless old bitch.

Tom, sweetie, has it ever occurred to you that there is a reason that the SNP are doing so well? Has it occurred to you that maybe your feet have been under that particular table for a bit too long?
There won't be any SNP ministers. Nicola and even your own boss David Cam... no sorry Ed, have ruled that out, as you say, so why mention it?
Oh yes, of course, in case any of the Tories reading it haven't heard and are driven to a panic by the thought of someone doing something for Scotland.
Silly me.
Someone once wrote of you that you were to the right of Mrs Thatcher so I'm sure you will have no difficulty appealing to the Tories in your constituency.You'd probably not appeal to any socialists.