This may seem like a fairy story, but once upon a time there was a Labour Party which operated a system of succession planning. When an MP was reaching retirement age - admittedly a somewhat flexible concept - a replacement would be (informally of course) identified and he or she would 'nurse' the constituency. When the time came, the replacement would be effortlessly eased into the position of candidate. This may appear to be a species of cronyism and, in one sense, I suppose it was.
But was that system any worse than the chaos that surrounded the prospective Labour candidate for Glasgow East and that now envelops Glenrothes? The SNP appears to have got its act together - why cannot Labour? The late Mr MacDougall was seriously ill for two years but when the worst happens the Labour Party representatives run around like headless chickens - McLeish, May, Rowley? Did nobody think to look ahead?
Is there anyone in charge of the party organisation?
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Or perhaps Labour did have someone in place, but that person has now run away from the position because they know that standing for Labour at this moment in time will effectively be the death of their career.
You may think HW that it is appropriate for local constituencies should rush around selecting candidates at the first sign of serious illness of its local MP and you may be right in terms of realpolitik. However the Labour Party does not do that and is a better party for it.
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