The Dreary Downfall of Wendy Alexander

Briefly*: So, Wendy Alexander is resigning as leader of the Scottish Labour party. In the brave new Scotland even our political scandals are pygmy-sized and fourth-rate. In normal circumstances scandal and disgrace should provide fine entertainment for the public who from time to time like, after all, to see one of their tribunes tossed to the lions. But there was no mirth, no schadenfreude to be enjoyed in this instance. After all, Wendy is leaving because she forgot, or couldn’t be bothered, to register donations to her office worth a few thousand quid. Well, colour me un-enraged. The complexity of the registration details and all the other stuff is head-melting stuff I imagine. Yes, yes, yes she broke the law, but in much the same way as someone going at 35mph in a 30mph zone is breaking the law. The scandal – if there is one – is why Alexander felt she needed to raise £20,000 to contest a leadership campaign in which she was unopposed.