Get Me Out of Here

Kezia Dugdale’s decision to go on I’m a Celebrity timed the day the party announces its new leader, might seem a career-ending last hurrah (joined to a massive “**** you!” to Scottish Labour, or a cunning political act in a public realm despoiled by vacuous SLEB culture.

Who knows?

Her colleague Jenny Marra tweeted unambiguously: “Election to parliament is a privilege to serve and represent people. It’s not a shortcut to celebrity.”

And there is said to be genuine anger amongst her Labour colleagues about this, but Kezia friends and supporters appear to be defending her insisting that she won’t be resigning and she will be donating her salary to charity whilst she’s away.

One source close to Kez even managed a straight face to add:

“What a fantastic opportunity for Kez to speak about politics and Labour values on one of the most popular and watched TV shows in the UK.”

That didn’t really work out for George Galloway whose political views were predictably edited out as he licked milk from a bowl dressed in a leotard.

But if Dugdale’s decision may reflect just a dire new depth of a political culture hollowed-out and rendered meaningless, on the other hand, why not? Maybe Kezia is staring across the chamber at the Colonel and thinking – why am I bothering with policy measures and serious reform ideas when politics has just degenerated into the spectacle of spin and stunts?

 

Scottish politics has become a bizarre mix of the mundane and the toxic.

But the Colonel’s efforts only succeed because she has a proxy-party north of the border dedicated entirely to her career advancement and a vast network of colleagues and sycophants south of the border who treat her as the virtual King of the North.

But it’s not a guaranteed success. Willie Rennie’s valiant efforts have resulted in widespread disinterest.

*

Whether this is kill or cure Down Under isn’t clear. Hanging out with Rebekah Vardy and Georgia Toffolo may solve Scotland’s educational inequality, who knows?

But let’s remember Dugdale has walked away with the plaudits of her victory (she won with 72% of the vote) still ringing in her ear. At the time her supporters were jubilant. She was Scottish labour’s Great White Hope after Jim Murphy’s disastrous reign. John McTernan said at the time:

“Until the case for separation is truly dead and buried Scottish Labour can never fully recover. So, making the economic case against independence is critical and Dugdale is good at it. She must make the case forensically in Holyrood while preparing to fight and win a second referendum. That will be hard but she will be successful, and defeat in the second referendum will be an existential crisis for the SNP and the foundation of a Labour victory.”

The Brahan Seer speaks.

Whatever happens today will be Scottish Labour’s 12th change of leader since the SNP entered government. Dugdale’s decision shows the level of long-term chaos not just of her party but the disintegration of political culture into a sideshow of light-entertainment, Mogadon for the masses.

 

Comments (14)

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  1. Charles L. Gallagher says:

    Correct me if I’m wrong but did Kez not criticise the Tory Nadine Whoever for going on this waste of time show a couple of years ago?

  2. Richard MacKinnon says:

    Mike,
    What is the next number in this sequence,
    2, 4, 4, 3, 0, ?

  3. Spud says:

    Why isn’t the Eggman on the list above?

  4. Willie says:

    Outrageous that this woman is going to be in the employ of a perfidious and sedititious foreign television company.

    Richard Leonard is already calling for her to be suspended. Clearly the private school educated Leonard has principles, and his criticism of Dugdale, will have nothing whatsoever to do with cheap political name blackening for political advantage.

    Good on the Dug for getting a job in television. I’m not sure her adventure in politics was a success, but maybe like another old Labour timeserver, she will have her George Galloway celebrity.

    Entertaining the masses with game shows, singing competitions,, and other such life enhancing pursuits is what it’s all about.

    She’ll be a success at that.

  5. Monty says:

    you really could not make it up. While not as ill advised as Salmond signing up with RT as career ending decisions go this ranks fairly high. She has undoubtedly had a tough time in a thankless job she got ten years too early so if she has quietly disappeared for 10 days after the new leader was elected it would have gone largely unremarked on. This though is not a good idea.

    1. Charles L. Gallagher says:

      I believe John Swinney hit the nail on the head while standing in for Nicola at FMQ’s, when he said, “There’s a terrible whiff of hypocrisy emanating from the opposition benches.” There’s a big difference between Alex and Kez, Alex is an independent citizen who can do anything he wishes so long as it’s lawful, whereas Kez is supposed t be an MSP representing the Labour Party in Holyrood. I believe one of today’s Sunday’s provides a list of all UK, Politicians who have appeared on RT.

      1. Monty says:

        Just because others have done it does not make it right, Tories, Labour, Lib Dem’s have all sold their souls in various ill advised ways over the years leading to the current low repute of politicians. Keshia’s decision is daft, Alex’s is crass and cynical and will dent his reputation long after events in the jungle have been forgotten. I truly despair and just as Larry King threw away his reputation for RT money Salmond has now done the same

        1. Charles L. Gallagher says:

          Sorry Monty I can’t agree with you this time as I don’t believe money entered into it but I did asked myself this in reaching my view, “Would any London based broadcaster have given him such a platformt?” I think that you’ll agree that it would be highly unlikely. But it does meet the old adage better to be talked about than be ignored.

          1. Willie says:

            Couldn’t agree more David.

            The Alex Salmond show was absolutely excellent. And who more topical than the exiled President of Catalonia did he interview on his first show.

            Certainly spiked the propaganda war by the MSM and the BBC, and what a thoroughly interesting interview.

            No wonder the MSM propagandists have now fallen silent. They did their best to blacken Salmond, but instead, gave Salmond’s show the best introductory publicity possible.

            I like many many others will be waiting to watch future shows with Alex, Tasmania and their guests.

        2. David Allan says:

          I’m delighted for Alex and Tasmina what a platform and to have full editorial control just great. Their first imo first class.

          RT evens up the sides in the current propaganda war . Monty are you seriously implying that television viewers should only be exposed to SKY BBC FOX CNN ITN their flawed and bias version of events.

          Have you watched some of RT’s documentaries ? You don’t get anything remotely like that broadcast elsewhere.

          As for Kez the programme might have been marginally more interesting had she been accompanied by Jackie Bird or Wee Willie who cares what Kez does. I hope she enjoys her bush tucker!

  6. Charles L. Gallagher says:

    About Kez. Just wondering if anyone is thinking like me that she is lining-up Labour for her throwing-in the towel and jumping ship on her return causing as much chaos as she can???

    1. J Galt says:

      My thoughts entirely Charles.

      How can you have a close relationship with someone with views utterly opposed to yours on every moral level and remain the same.

      I hope Kezia has a few surprises in store!

  7. Willie says:

    I see that the Tory minister David David is reported today as saying that he is grateful to have appeared on RT where he was, able to explain his views on both Brexit and Transgender issue that he wasn’t given the opportunity to express on the BBC.

    The BBC’s control of propaganda and media control is being broken and the establishment don’t like it.

    As for payments I see there’s been no end of them being made to folks of all hues.

    Over a two year period George Galloway got £100k, aforesaid David Davis £750 per hour, Nigel Farage £1,000 per hour.

    Very much reinforces how the BBC feeds us all pap when it selected Alex Salmond for character assassination.

    Make you realise exactly what went on at the referendum.

    Thank goodness for RT and blogs like this.

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