Skipper

I thought it would get worse and it has. Labour Blogger Bob Piper, in his comment on my post of yesterday, thought Wendy's scheme a good one; and so it is, in theory, but it appears as a challenge when Gordon certainly doesn't need his authority bashed any more, leastways not by previously loyal friends.

It seems Brown is furious with Alexander for bouncing him with her 'bring it on' exhortation. The Guardian today quotes a 'senior Labour figure in London' as saying:

"Is Wendy Alexander damaged? Yes. Is Gordon Brown damaged? Yes. Is the Labour party damaged? Yes. Is Alex Salmond strengthened? Yes. Wendy did not tell Gordon about her announcement ... This is Wendy Alexander incorporated."

Meanwhile a Yougov poll shows Labour on a meagre 23% and Conservatives on whopping 49%. All the appearances are that Labour is still digging when it desperately needs a period of calm to retrench and settle itself. But one thought was thrown into the mix this morning by Andrew Neill talking to Jim Naughtie, when he suggested the referendum ought to be a national one as Scotland leaving the union has implications for all of us. He's got a point.