To the Victor...4th place
In the SNP our two sitting MEPs get no special treatment and they have to be selected and ranked alongside the other potential candidates.
A little birdie tells me that this is very different to how things are done in the Labour party. The story, as it was told to me, is that the people who got the number 3 and 4 slots on Scottish Labour’s European list got significantly more votes than the two sitting MEPs. But Labour rules means that the two incumbents automatically get the top two slots on the list - despite being beaten in the internal vote.
Number 3 for Labour is Mary Lockhart – who Labour MEP Catherine Stihler beat to be selected as Labour’s ill-fated Dunfermline Westminster by-election candidate. Number 4 is a chap called Paul McAleavely who I am led to believe actually got the most votes of any candidate. But the incumbent factor combined with gender zipping means he’s in the 4th slot.
1 viewpoints:
Sorry I haven't visited your blog before - some SNP friends teased me about being number 3 on Labour's Scottish list for the European Elections. They cited your blog as the source of their assertion that Paul McAleavy had gained more votes than any other candidate in Labour's European ballot.
In fact, I was the candidate who had more votes than anyone else, including Paul. No-one was more surprised - or delighted -than I that this was so. I have the greatest respect and liking for Paul, but have certainly not taken his place on the list and would be grateful if you could correct your assertion.
God, that sounds pompous! Anyway, I'm enjoying your blog, which is balanced and intelligent, unlike some of the rantings which follow every Scotsman and Herald article these days!
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