Jim Murphy

[GC]

I can't help but be impressed whenever I hear this guy speak.

Typical politician deep down, no doubt but he does come over very well.

My question to you is, if Labour ever wanted to get back into power in Scotland would their best option be to have Murphy run for a Hollyrood seat and become Scottish Labour Leader?

Thoughts and discussion if you want.

[ancienthibby]

I can't help but be impressed whenever I hear this guy speak.

Typical politician deep down, no doubt but he does come over very well.

My question to you is, if Labour ever wanted to get back into power in Scotland would their best option be to have Murphy run for a Hollyrood seat and become Scottish Labour Leader?

Thoughts and discussion if you want.

I've checked every calendar I can find and not a single one says that today is 1 April!!:devil:

Clearly the OP thinks so!:greengrin

There'll be spontaneous outbursts of laughter in this house throughout the day!:faf::faf::faf:

[JimBHibees]

I've checked every calendar I can find and not a single one says that today is 1 April!!:devil:

Clearly the OP thinks so!:greengrin

There'll be spontaneous outbursts of laughter in this house throughout the day!:faf::faf::faf:

Cant help but agree think he comes over almost as insincere as Mandelson, maybe they are related. Personally think he is appalling.

[Scotsman]

Would have to agree - he is the Peter Mandelson of Scottish Politics

Jim Murphy is like the rest of Labour Westminster MPS - a career politician, with no understanding of whats really happening in Scotland

Alex Salmond wipes the floor with Iain Gray , who cant even control his own party and will lose his East Lothian seat at the next election

He would do the same with Murphy

[Big Ed]

I can't help but be impressed whenever I hear this guy speak.

Typical politician deep down, no doubt but he does come over very well.

My question to you is, if Labour ever wanted to get back into power in Scotland would their best option be to have Murphy run for a Hollyrood seat and become Scottish Labour Leader?

Thoughts and discussion if you want.

Sometimes, now and again, the odd politician can come over as being a bit different from the rest.
I have learned that the proof of the pudding is in the eating and that it is not until they are in a position to make tough decisions that they show their true colours. It is usually a bitter dissapointment.
Billy Connolly's gag that "wanting to be a politician should effectively bar you from ever being one" is something that is now less funny and more profound to me as age and cynicism kick in.
Jim Murphy's political star is beginning to ascend. We'll just have to wait and see if his character does the same.

[RyeSloan]

Would have to agree - he is the Peter Mandelson of Scottish Politics

Jim Murphy is like the rest of Labour Westminster MPS - a career politician, with no understanding of whats really happening in Scotland

Alex Salmond wipes the floor with Iain Gray , who cant even control his own party and will lose his East Lothian seat at the next election

He would do the same with Murphy

Maybe but Jim Murphy is 100 times a better speaker and politician than Gray will ever be....I know where the OP is coming from here, IMHO he does come across well and always seems to give 'good' answers.

I think Labour losing power in Westminster will see a lot of their Scottish talent (if that's the right word!) come back North to counter the rise of the SNP. They need it though as Labour in an opposition form in the SP has been nothing short of farcical.

[steakbake]

I find him slightly creepy, to be honest. I don't think he is straight with journalists and he's certainly one for saying one thing and meaning something totally different. I don't really rate him.

One of the best Labour have got is Tom Harris MP, I would say.

[New Corrie]

I find him slightly creepy, to be honest. I don't think he is straight with journalists and he's certainly one for saying one thing and meaning something totally different. I don't really rate him.

One of the best Labour have got is Tom Harris MP, I would say.

I would agree, I don't know much about this twitter/blogging stuff, but his site and postings are pretty interesting.

[Green Mikey]

I find him slightly creepy, to be honest. I don't think he is straight with journalists and he's certainly one for saying one thing and meaning something totally different. I don't really rate him.

One of the best Labour have got is Tom Harris MP, I would say.

Think you have described most politicians here!

I agree with the other posters that he is a good speaker and has a professional manner that many Scottish politicians lack.

[steakbake]

Think you have described most politicians here!

I agree with the other posters that he is a good speaker and has a professional manner that many Scottish politicians lack.

I probably have, but Murphy seems to be a bit of a manipulator of words and I don't like that in anyone, let alone a politician.

[Green Mikey]

I probably have, but Murphy seems to be a bit of a manipulator of words and I don't like that in anyone, let alone a politician.

Manipulation of words seems to be the way the way of the modern politician. Blair, Mandelson and Campbell brought this style to the forefront of British politics and the Tories responded in kind with Cameron, Osbourne et al.

Spin, manipulation and never actually saying exactly what they mean is now a prerequisite for any ambitious politician. Was it not Hilary Clinton that referred to a lie as a 'mis-speak'!

[ancienthibby]

I find him slightly creepy, to be honest. I don't think he is straight with journalists and he's certainly one for saying one thing and meaning something totally different. I don't really rate him.

One of the best Labour have got is Tom Harris MP, I would say.

If you are ever asked for a definition of that fine Scots word 'sleekit' the only answer is 'Jim Murphy'!!:greengrin

[Phil D. Rolls]

Murphy comes across as approaching a credible opposition to Salmond. For all his faults, he is the closest Scottish Labour have to someone who understands that there is more to getting elected than wearing a red rosette.

Have to agree he is an opportunist though. I recall his answer to the heroin problem was to buy all the poppies off the Afgahn farmers and destroy them. If only someone else had thought of that.:greengrin

I also recall that he was a footballer that a few thought could do a job at Easter Road in the early eighties. Surely things weren't that bad?

[Betty Boop]

I see Smeato is standing for Parliament in the seat vacated by Michael Martin. I've heard it all now! :bitchy:
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20090924/tuk-terror-hero-stands-for-parliament-6323e80.html

[ancienthibby]

I see Smeato is standing for Parliament in the seat vacated by Michael Martin. I've heard it all now! :bitchy:
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20090924/tuk-terror-hero-stands-for-parliament-6323e80.html

Well, that's the Labour vote shot to smithereens!!:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[hibsdaft]

they said the MP's expenses stuff was going to bring a new kind of politics, if they meant a lot of celebrity MP's they can stick it i'd rather have 600 pocketlining ****houses than random celebrities jumping on a bandwagon tbh

at least you know what political parties are meant to stand for

[Phil D. Rolls]

smeato is too intelligent to be a Glasgow labour MP.

[--------]

I find him slightly creepy, to be honest. I don't think he is straight with journalists and he's certainly one for saying one thing and meaning something totally different. I don't really rate him.

One of the best Labour have got is Tom Harris MP, I would say.


Don't know about Harris.

I don't like Murphy - creepy's a bit of san understatement, IMO. Next time I'm over at a burial I'll ask the gravediggers if they're missing a corpse....

[GC]

Maybe but Jim Murphy is 100 times a better speaker and politician than Gray will ever be....I know where the OP is coming from here, IMHO he does come across well and always seems to give 'good' answers.

I think Labour losing power in Westminster will see a lot of their Scottish talent (if that's the right word!) come back North to counter the rise of the SNP. They need it though as Labour in an opposition form in the SP has been nothing short of farcical.

I'm glad someone saw where I was coming from:greengrin

When I used the word impressed I meant so in the way that he seems to come across as the only valid option for labour as a real chance to make something of opposition - I'm saying this as an SNP supporter.

He is certainly doing a better job of it than Gray is at the moment and he is a sitting MP in Westminster.

[ancienthibby]

I'm glad someone saw where I was coming from:greengrin

When I used the word impressed I meant so in the way that he seems to come across as the only valid option for labour as a real chance to make something of opposition - I'm saying this as an SNP supporter.

He is certainly doing a better job of it than Gray is at the moment and he is a sitting MP in Westminster.

That said, did you read the article about him in the Times yesterday - apparently he wants to reclaim the saltire for the Labour Party!!:grr:

He seems to conveniently overlook the fact that he, (JM, et al) have the Union Jack enscribed on their minds, hearts, **ses, everything!!:agree: Has no one told him that there is no such entity as the Labour Party of Scotland or even the Scottish Labour Party??

Au contraire - what we have is the Labour Party of Westminster in Scotland!!:agree:

The only thing JM ('yonweesleekitMurphybeastie') is doing is perhaps positioning himself to replace 'theweegreyman' as Labour 'leader' at Holyrood??!

[Phil D. Rolls]

That said, did you read the article about him in the Times yesterday - apparently he wants to reclaim the saltire for the Labour Party!!:grr:

He seems to conveniently overlook the fact that he, (JM, et al) have the Union Jack enscribed on their minds, hearts, **ses, everything!!:agree: Has no one told him that there is no such entity as the Labour Party of Scotland or even the Scottish Labour Party??

Au contraire - what we have is the Labour Party of Westminster in Scotland!!:agree:

The only thing JM ('yonweesleekitMurphybeastie') is doing is perhaps positioning himself to replace 'theweegreyman' as Labour 'leader' at Holyrood??!

I don't know if he is a "weegreyman". I'm sure Alex Salmond must be shaking in his boots at Grey's request for a square go on St. Andrew's day. :greengrin