Iain Gray has had good coverage with his promise to rip up Labour's 2007 manifesto and start work immediately on the 2011 version. While there are parts of it that particularly need to be discarded, like the bit about retaining Council Tax, is it just me who feels queasy about all that policy simply being discarded?
I mean, I know much of it wasn't any good, and it was about as well written as a phonebook, but still..
Let us imagine that you are represented by a Labour MSP, and one way or another, most of us are.
They all pledged to deliver that 2007 manifesto, and people voted for them knowing that. Despite losing overall, it should be governing their elected representatives' activities in the Chamber and in Committee. Instead it's been ripped up and there's nothing to guide them, nothing to hold them to.
For comparison, here's the executive summary of our manifesto, which Robin and Patrick are working away on until 2011:
o Tackle climate change, cut pollution every year.
o Deliver world class public transport, not road and airport expansion.
o Support local business and social enterprise, regulate supermarkets.
o Keep the NHS and water public, reverse rail privatisation.
o Say no to Trident and nuclear power, invest in renewable energy.
o Tackle poverty, provide warm, affordable, energy efficient homes.
o Stop demonising young people; defend civil liberties and promote equality.
Also, here's a short video showing Iain Gray actually ripping up their manifesto.
I have to say, Iain Gray looks a lot smaller in the Chamber.