 | 'Brain-dead crony politics doesn't work at national level. It corrupts public life, damages Scotland abroad, and it is also self-defeating. Moreover, as the Labour cronies carry on their feuds and factionalism, their muttering to the press, they forget that Labour doesn't have leadership in perpetuity.' Iain MacWhirter in the Herald, 11 th April 2001. |  |
Mr Martin, an MEP for 17 years and a vice-president of the European Parliament, was required to "withdraw" from the selection process yesterday after the party's national executive ruled that he could not stand without its permission.
However, party insiders said that the executive was invoking the rule merely to clear the way for its preferred candidate, Brian Fitzpatrick, an advocate, who worked for Donald Dewar in the late first minister's private office.
Mr Martin was widely seen as the preferred choice of Henry McLeish, who succeeded Mr Dewar to the post last October.
Labour's constituency party in Strathkelvin and Bearsden meets tonight to choose a successor to Sam Galbraith. The environment minister's resignation was revealed by The Herald last week.
- March 27
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