A sign or two of hope

Just in from the Edinburgh hustings for the Scottish Labour Leadership and Deputy leadership contest.

Three things came to light;

• This contest puts to bed the myth that there is no depth in the Holyrood Labour Group. all three are capable of leading the Party. Iain Gray was the best of the three winning on passion, policy and personal conviction but the other two were also good.
  
• Joanne Lamont was superb. I've never heard her speak before but what came across is Labour is in her DNA and justice for the poor and ex clued is her middle name
• These hustings should be the start of Party debates not simply a method of electing new leaders. When we were tearing ourselves apart in 1980s the solution was to stop debate; that was a mistake and we have suffered at our core because of that. A healthy family is where everyone matters and all view are heard. The Scottish Labour family has not been healthy for a while but there are signs tonight of some recovery.