14

Business as Usual: January–May 2015

ONE OF MY first commitments of 2015 meant a trip to Edinburgh’s Dynamic Earth. There were around 250 folk there for Jim Murphy’s New Year speech, but before we got underway, someone suggested that losing to Murphy might just have been a godsend. I agree – I think I dodged a very painful bullet.

He started with a commentary on the global economy and the challenges that accompany it – oil price fluctuation, Russia in turmoil, Greek crisis etc. – then returned to Scotland and announced his ‘1,000 nurses more’ pledge. He said that an incoming Labour Government would recruit 1,000 more nurses into the NHS than the SNP. So if the SNP announce a million nurses we would recruit one million and 1,000. It is nonsense. After the speech, all those who put the boot into Johann (Lamont) for making policy on the hoof congratulated Murphy for doing exactly the same. Pretty astonishing. He also said he will bring back chartered teachers, but again there was no discussion with anyone who happened to be, or had been, a teacher; just an announcement. I believe the announcement regarding the nurses typifies their approach to politics: made because it sounded good rather than because it was the right thing to do. I think people are increasingly rejecting this type of approach.

This is shaping up to be quite a year. Oh, and we have a general election to ‘look forward’ to!

6 JANUARY: Scottish Parliament – met Michael Hogg and stewards from the RMT about the City Link group going bust. The company continually told workers all was okay before pulling the plug on Christmas Eve, leaving 450 staff high and dry. Many were self-employed, having bought their own vans, and some now have as much as £27,000 of debt. I called Katy Clark to see if the Business, Innovation and Skills committee at Westminster would haul the directors in for a grilling. She said she would try but doubtful the Tories would do it. I asked Ian Davidson MP if his Scottish affairs select committee could do it. He was keen and promised to look into it immediately. Within an hour, he’d called back to say they will begin a short inquiry on Monday. Great result; Ian doesn’t mess about. Michael Hogg and Gordon Martin from the RMT are delighted. Here is the clearest example of aggressive venture capitalism ripping money out of a business and letting it go bust with no regard for workers.

7 JANUARY: Spoke in a parliamentary debate on health inequality. The Scottish Government talk a good game on this stuff but do little as redistribution is key to tackling it. You could fill the parliament several times with reports written on health inequality but it just gets worse. Experts say the living wage is the most important policy to tackle this.

8 JANUARY: At Crichton House in Edinburgh for a Shadow Cabinet meeting. Murphy gives details of his new Clause IV. It’s all fluff that no one could really disagree with, except where he says, ‘We will work in the “patriotic” interest of the people of Scotland.’ I spoke out against the inclusion of ‘patriotism’ and said you don’t need to tell people you are patriotic to show you love your country and its people. I was joined by fellow MSPs Hugh Henry and Ken McIntosh. I was surprised Ken agreed as he is in the same constituency as Murphy, and they are close. If Murphy thinks this will win over Yes voters he is deluded. It is nothing to do with principle or belief, just sheer opportunism and misguided at that. This is the guy who along with folk like Michael McCann, savaged Johann for wanting more autonomy and for wanting to take a different policy direction in Scotland. The hypocrisy is unbelievable. Murphy then drops the bombshell that serial loser, and the world’s worst political adviser and tactician, John McTernan is coming in as his chief of staff! It’s a disaster waiting to happen. He worked for Henry McLeish, then polished Blair’s shoes before advising Australian PM Julia Gillard, who lasted a year after his appointment. Now he’s working for us. Oh well, if his magic touch continues, another leadership election will be along shortly!

9 JANUARY: Into the West Calder office where I met Graeme Morrice to discuss forthcoming local campaign. We need to up the profile across the Almond Valley constituency and work with Graeme to get him re-elected. He is sitting on an 11,000 majority but is rightly worried.

10 JANUARY: Spoke to Richard Leonard, Jackson Cullinane and Dave Watson on their return from the Scottish Executive committee where Murphy’s Clause IV passed 14 to 8. Apparently he was all over the place when he spoke, and was even trying to rewrite it mid-meeting!

The policy forum meeting was quite messy despite there being many decent policies. I was in Ann McKechin’s group, but all she wanted to discuss was business competitiveness, increasing profit, private sector tax relief etc. She was completely ambivalent to the workers’ rights agenda I’ve been working on. It won’t matter for her anyway as she’s sitting on a majority of just a few thousand and won’t return after the election.

Later that night, Fiona and I went to see Paolo Nutini at the Hydro. It was an excellent concert, but we were forced to travel home in a blizzard, which was really scary at times.

12 JANUARY: West Lothian College – met Mhairi Laughlin, the Principal, to discuss the consequences of cuts to the college sector. I love the college and what it does for people. I have been a student there three times.

13 JANUARY: Shadow Cabinet meeting and Murphy has made an energetic start on the oil slump, NHS etc. He has been proactive and the back room is better organised. He wants us to meet on Mondays across the country starting next week in Dundee. We have to arrange visits to groups when we are there and do press each time. Time will tell if this has any impact.

Just heard parliament staff will be on strike on Thursday. Last time I refused to cross the picket line, and was joined by Drew Smith, Patricia Ferguson and Elaine Smith, and I won’t be in this time either. Neil Bibby, our whip, came to see me about the strike and I told him my feelings. The first law of trade unionism – you don’t cross picket lines!

Spoke in today’s debate on public services. The government’s hypocrisy is unreal. They talk about the contribution of public servants, and the great work they do, but not a word about the job losses, pay freeze, council tax freeze etc. I quoted John Stevenson of UNISON who said, ‘If 40,000 jobs were lost in any other sector, politicians would be calling for a task force, an inquiry and urgent action.’ Councils are key to tackling poverty and inequality. All parties think standing up for council services isn’t popular, but not me.

14 JANUARY: Visited Doosan Babcock in Renfrewshire where I met the plant director and one of their head engineers, an impressive young Swedish woman. She was practically evangelical about engineering. We were talking about the company’s excellent investment in its staff, apprenticeships etc. I asked about their corporate social responsibility policy and how it was applied. Like others they do community work, such as gardening or DIY at a local old folks home. I suggested they get their engineers into schools and colleges, where they can encourage young people, especially women, into the industry. They seemed keen. There is real potential in developing an industry ambassadors’ programme to expose school pupils to different trades and careers in a more systematic and inclusive way.

At the Scottish Parliament I met Murphy’s policy man, Blair McDougall. I gave him the charter of workers’ rights, my housing policy from the leadership election and the PFI buy-out policy – probably the last I’ll hear of them! On a personal level, I quite like Blair. He is an approachable guy, but politically we couldn’t be more different.

15 JANUARY: Spoke in the Holyrood debate on low pay before hosting 10 members of the German IG Metal Union, in Scotland on an English language course. We had an enjoyable tour and discussed devolved power, trade unions, the referendum, etc.

It was then off to meet Fiona and Chloe to go for a meal for Chloe’s birthday – really nice evening.

16 JANUARY: St Mary’s Church, Bathgate for BBC Big Debate with Lib Dem Mike Crockart, journalists Ruth Wishart and Alex Massie, and SNP MSP, Fiona Hyslop. Quite a few SNP members in the audience, but Hyslop was all over the place on fracking and said she couldn’t give a view because she was a minister and may be involved in planning application appeals – total nonsense! Last week at Westminster, Tom Greatrex MP played a blinder getting all fracking licences devolved so the SNP will soon have power over these issues and there will be no escape. The show was largely mundane and uninspiring – my best contribution was about the poorest communities being burdened with intrusive and damaging environmental projects.

17 JANUARY: Full house tonight of Chloe’s pals – including cousins Eleana and Eva – for a very noisy birthday party!

19 JANUARY: Shadow Cabinet meeting in Dundee and Murphy has recruited Gregor Poynton, Jenny Duncan and Susan Dalgety – the New Labour takeover is complete. A small group of protestors gave Murphy a hard time as we entered the building for our meeting. I fear this will continue as the Yes side hate the guy with a passion. We visited a training project for disengaged young people and spoke about issues such as training and apprenticeships. Afterwards we went canvassing – not a good response at all.

West Calder High School public meeting about new school. Great news for the community but opposition from residents.

Tonight I heard that the SNP had 27 canvassers out in East Calder – 27!

20 JANUARY: Refused to cross the picket line at parliament, so went to help at the Kirkcaldy by-election. We have a good candidate, Liz Nicolson, who works at the local YWCA. It was a beautiful day, although not for me. I got shat on by a seagull, then stood at a polling station, frozen – and there were few voters out. To top it all off I locked my car keys in the boot and had to get Fiona to come for me – NOT a good day!

On the way home I took part in a conference call with Murphy. Labour is 15 points behind in the polls which would leave us with six seats. Shocking, but unsurprising. NHS, unemployment and benefits are the big issues, he said. Well you don’t need a focus group to tell you that. We move into full election mode on Monday, which will just look like panic or a half-cocked reaction to bad polls.

Result came through from Kirkcaldy. There was a 23 per cent turnout, and in one of our safest Scottish seats held by Gordon Brown, we lost the council seat by 350 votes.

23 JANUARY: At UNISON in Glasgow to discuss my Charter of Workers Rights. This includes action on zero hours contracts, the living wage, fatal accident inquiries, corporate homicide, ending tribunal fees, equal opportunities, health and safety, blacklisting, miner justice, apprenticeships, procurement, violence at work legislation, collective bargaining, occupational health and workplace learning. A significant package we should be shouting from the rooftops. The challenge will be to get Murphy to grasp it and acknowledge its importance, but I’m not particularly confident. After the defeat in Kirkcaldy, and polls showing us poised to win a paltry six seats, there is panic in the air.

Just heard Midlothian MP Davie Hamilton is retiring. A former Communist, Davie entered parliament in 2001 and was the most rebellious of the new intake. Previously a miner, he was arrested and jailed during the strike. I like Davie and worked with him on the Miners Justice Campaign, but he went from being a rebel to whip and seemed to enjoy the Westminster scene too much, becoming a party enforcer and going back on many of the policy positions he once held. He got a lot of flack from many of his ex-mining colleagues for supporting Murphy, which put a strain on relationships going back decades. This saddened me, but I wish him well in retirement. Given the polls, I think it’s a good choice, although rumours suggest he’s going into the House of Lords. That really would be something. If it did happen, I think a lot of his former comrades would find it impossible to take. I hope for his sake this doesn’t happen.

24 JANUARY: Watched Murphy on Sunday Politics, still ducking and diving about whether or not he will stand again for Westminster, insisting he will tell his constituents first. He is now in favour of a people’s railway or a nationalised/not for profit railway. Murphy arguing for nationalisation – whatever next? He also said we were opposed to fracking unless a local referendum gave it the go ahead. I have always supported renationalising the railways and am opposed to fracking but none of this has been discussed with the Shadow Cabinet. He just makes random announcements and expects everyone to fall in behind. He will come a cropper with this approach – it’s inevitable. The problem with this stuff is that having never spoken about these things in his political career, no one believes him. A complete lack of authenticity is his big problem. On one issue he remained consistent – Trident, where he said that not renewing it would be a mistake. I completely disagree.

Today the Sunday Herald reported on spending in the leadership election, saying the trade unions donated around £30k to my campaign, with the GMB donating cash to defeat one of their own members – Jim Murphy!

26 JANUARY: Up to Pittodrie Stadium in Aberdeen for a Shadow Cabinet meeting. Focus groups dominate our discussion – McTernan and Murphy seem obsessed with them. Apparently the NHS and youth employment are the big issues. Well, what a revelation. Who’d have thought jobs and the NHS would be the voters’ big issues?

Back home for a surgery in Fauldhouse. I still like doing surgeries even though most people now email or call into the office. Tonight’s issues were equal pay, housing repairs and housing allocations.

27 JANUARY: Scottish Parliament – to petitions committee for mesh evidence session with US attorney Adam Slater. Unfortunately the video link was down due to heavy blizzards in the States. Around 60-70 of the women and their supporters turned up. I urged the committee to hold a chamber debate. John Scott MSP (Cons), Jackson Carlaw (Cons) and John Pentland MSP (Lab) all very supportive but they will hold a session with Slater before deciding what to do. The women were pleased with the outcome. They are an inspiring and very likeable group of people.

28 JANUARY: Scottish Parliament – there is a big rammy going on about fracking. Labour has proposed a triple lock with a local referendum before proceeding but our MPs abstained on the infrastructure bill which proposed a moratorium. The SNP are spinning like mad about this.

To the chamber to hear Fergus Ewing, who would frack under his own arse, squawk and squirm, and announce a moratorium until consultation has been carried out. He doesn’t support a word of this, but why would that matter? Joan McAlpine sat at the back smiling away – she and Ewing have been having a battle about fracking. She’s right on this issue.

At Education Questions, I asked Angela Constance about college cuts. Her reply was the usual mince. How can it be possible to say so many words that mean absolutely nothing?

29 JANUARY: Spoke to student leaders at Edinburgh College. The college applied for £1.3 million for student financial support but were awarded £300,000 – so much for supporting poorer students. How on earth are people not seeing through this government?

At First Minister’s Questions, Kez, who has been taking the lead because Murphy sits in the UK parliament, skewered Sturgeon on the issue of school exam appeals that have fallen by 75 per cent as charges for appeals have landed with schools. So, state school appeals have fallen but there has been no change in private school appeals. Sturgeon was woeful and Tom Gordon of the Herald said in his parliamentary sketch that Kez had ‘silenced the honking seals on the SNP backbenches’.

I read that Murphy had Ed Miliband and Margaret Curran at a training centre in Glasgow. Neither I, as youth employment spokesperson, nor Paul Martin, the local MSP, were informed or invited (what a relief).

2 FEBRUARY: To Armadale Primary School to meet the primary six pupils. They were excellent and well informed. Some great questions about parliament and my family life. One was hilarious, ‘Do you like Nicola Stockton?’ Another question I was asked, was ‘What kind of pet did you have when you were wee?’ I said, ‘We had a dog called Barry and a chicken that was eaten by a fox!’

3 FEBRUARY: Tomorrow’s Ashcroft poll won’t be kind. They have polled 1,000 people in 16 key seats and Labour would win only one. This would be Armageddon. The analogy with Rangers FC is obvious. A successful team, media-friendly owner and manager, well-known stars, but built on sand and when pressure is applied, everything falls apart. That is the reality of New Labour. No matter how energetic Murphy and Co. are, no one believes what he says. This project also has foundations of sand.

4 FEBRUARY: Met Tracy Murdoch of Kidzeko. She runs a social enterprise recycling baby clothes and equipment and trains young people to take classes for young mums and folk with mental health problems. She has two shops, in Bathgate and Livingston, and has done everything possible to keep the shops going but needs a little help with cash flow. We met with the Scottish Government to discuss the situation, but their response was dismal. There is no financial assistance for established social enterprises. I agreed to do all I could to assist and will look at all my contacts. We can’t lose great projects like this.

Met with Unite and UCATT members at our lobby of parliament on the umbrella companies scam. This is the latest in a long line of tricks deployed by large construction companies to rip off workers. The employer acts as an agency who transfers the worker to an umbrella company where the worker has to pay for his own pay slip, as well as both employer and employee national insurance. They are paid the minimum wage and told to claim expenses to make up their wages. The Treasury loses huge amounts in tax via this scam. I compared these practices to employers in The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists and The Great Money Trick. I attacked the employers and called on the UK and Scottish Governments to take immediate action on procurement. I hosted a meeting afterwards and the Scottish Government said they are doing everything they can, which is complete rubbish. They blame everything on Westminster, even though responsibility for contracts in Scotland is under their control.

Cara Hilton spoke well at the debate. She is a terrific speaker, and even right-wing Tory Alec Johnston condemned the use of umbrella companies.

5 FEBRUARY: Fallout from the polls is reverberating around the country. The SNP are cock-a-hoop. Apparently the Radical Independence Campaign are organising a march to demonstrate at Katy Clark’s office, demanding she is defeated at the election. A socialist woman who consistently votes against Trident, war, austerity, privatisation etc. but that doesn’t matter to these people. They don’t care about class issues – it’s become all about nation and flags.

6 FEBRUARY: Good news today as the report from the standards and procedures committee on lobbying is positive – and the government now has to act. I was told Joe Fitzpatrick, the government’s business manager, had all the lobbyists in the parliamentary bar buying them drinks to try and pacify them!

At FMQs today, Kez did well on the NHS. Sturgeon is quite clearly still struggling to find her feet.

7 FEBRUARY: And so to London with Fiona and my pals Jimmy and Kathleen for a few days break. We enjoyed a tour around the House of Commons, and were then shown the Lords. Who was there but none other than (Neil) Kinnock. My word, this is the same guy who used to sit with Skinner in the Commons during the Queen’s Speech, protesting at the illegitimacy of the Lords. Now he sits there in ermine, picking up his £300 a day attendance allowance and fully aboard the gravy train. I always disliked Kinnock but nevertheless worked my arse off to get him elected.

Had a lovely dinner and a few beers at a restaurant in Covent Garden.

8 FEBRUARY: University of London for a Left Platform meeting. John McDonnell brought together people from across the left to discuss tactics and campaigns that we could prioritise should there be a Labour victory or a coalition. Over 100 people there including Michael Meacher MP, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Mick Cash RMT, Richard Murphy tax advisor and Professor Prem Sikka, an economist. A wide range of contributions were made by serious people. I spoke about the situation in Scotland post-referendum and the problems we face. People listened with interest.

Afterwards I met up with Fiona, Jimmy and Kate at Camden Market, which is a fantastic vibrant, buzzing place. We later saw The Commitments at the theatre.

Got a text from Murphy to say I was the only Shadow Cabinet member who hadn’t submitted his campaign plan for this week. I told him I was on holiday and will advise him in due course. He clearly thinks I don’t want to work for him. He is of course wrong, as I always put my heart and soul into the Labour Party whoever the leader is, but he simply wants to exert his authority and is watching my every move. He even has someone monitoring how many tweets I send!

9 FEBRUARY: Home from London to over 200 emails. Got a call from Kevin McKenna of the Guardian. He is a (former Labour) Nationalist Yes supporter, and he was interested in my miners’ justice campaign. He thinks Sturgeon is left wing, and might support a review of the convictions. I think he must be on something if he thinks this but I will write to her and make the case again.

10 FEBRUARY: At West Lothian College for the opening of the new skills centre. It is an excellent initiative which will train more engineers, joiners, painters etc.

Met local developers of the Heartlands project at the former Polkemmet Colliery to hear plans for retail and industrial development at the site, and the latest housing plans. I will try to signpost partners to them who may be able to bring jobs, houses and services to the area.

Today, Sturgeon went to London for an anti-austerity speech, demanding additional spending and saying she would cut less. More smoke and mirrors. She is setting her stall out for a coalition with Labour and says she won’t deal with the Tories. She wants a ‘confidence and supply’ deal with Labour – the party she hates so much and wants to destroy.

12 FEBRUARY: Met Tracy Murdoch of Kidzeco social enterprise, which works with mums and dads on parenting, play and children’s wellbeing. It is a brilliant project. She has taken on a new property but has had major problems with the landlord. So I went along to his office unannounced and refused to leave until we had resolved the situation. Thankfully we managed to get it sorted out.

13 FEBRUARY: Met a constituent who has terminal cancer – very moving to hear her talk about her experiences of the NHS. Some of it excellent, other parts a bit chaotic. I will do all I can to support her and her family.

Big fall out from PMQs today with Miliband calling Lord Fink ‘dodgy’ because of his tax dealings. He is right, these folks are tax dodging on an industrial scale.

14 FEBRUARY: Morning door knock in West Calder before heading up to Fauldhouse for United’s Scottish Cup last-16 match against Musselburgh. Really good crowd and great set up at Park View. Musselburgh won, but it was a good match.

TV reports that the film 50 Shades of Grey is being released for Valentine’s Day. We now have lots of middle class professionals and academics debating the cultural, political and sociological meaning and consequences of it. They assume people are completely stupid and don’t realise it’s just a very poor book (apparently) and will probably be a poorer film. You don’t need a PhD in sociology to realise that. There are reports that B&Q have been giving staff tips and advice on the sale of gaffer tape and cable ties. Tory members of the House of Lords seem to be getting far too excited!

Today the Tories are saying that people who are overweight and on benefits will lose their entitlement if they don’t lose weight. I look forward to Eric Pickles, Nicolas Soames and Kenneth Clarke arguing that policy on Question Time!

16 FEBRUARY: Shadow Cabinet meeting at Glasgow City Council, and Murphy reports they are engaging legendary US pollster Stan Greenberg to do more focus groups and polling – and it’s costing fortunes. They continue to focus on the NHS but this is not landing a blow on the SNP. Blair McDougall spoke about the positive response on our workers’ rights and fairness agenda. I have been urging them for months to focus on this stuff. It’s a no brainer.

I got an email from Jimmy Gordon, a friend from Bathgate, about Murphy’s tactics. He was scathing about him wearing the Scotland top after being elected and about him jumping on every bandwagon going, not to mention his cynical use of the media and false patriotism. If this is how Yes-voting Labour folk think then the election will be a major car crash – like we have never seen before.

In the 35–44 age group, polling shows we are 35 per cent behind the Nats.

Gordon Mathieson was then wheeled out to speak about the achievements in Glasgow and the success of the council. He is a gallus, proud Glaswegian and promotes the city whenever he can but he is clearly being pushed by Murphy as an MSP candidate for 2016.

During discussions, Jenny Marra, a Murphy ally, said she was against the alcohol at football policy. As health spokesperson, she clearly hadn’t been consulted. Murphy said, ‘Well, it’s now policy so move on!’ No debate, no discussion – awful. He said that because young working class men don’t like us we had to do something. So the answer apparently is to get them all bevvied at the fitba’! He hasn’t a principled bone in his body. This is the type of politics people are rejecting.

I emailed him about making an announcement on the miners’ justice campaign – no reply yet.

Met with my old West Lothian Council pals Paddy McLaughlin, Alex McGuire and Martin Armstrong at the Glasgow Housing Association, where they now run the organisation. They have turned it around from a failing basket case to a successful and progressive entity. I was there to discuss their apprenticeship programme and other things.

Over to Glasgow East to campaign for Margaret Curran. I have no time for her. She conspired against Johann Lamont, said she wouldn’t get involved in the leadership election, then came out for Murphy. She can’t even look at me now, which is good. During our door knocking, pensioners were sticking with Labour but the rest weren’t. The bold Margaret will soon be looking for another job I suspect.

17 FEBRUARY: Got a call from Tam Dalyell about the proposed meeting with Alicia Castro, the Argentine ambassador. He was on fine form and was scathing about the way the Scottish party is run, as well as its policy announcements, which appear to be coming out every five minutes. For the first time since 1964, he will not donate cash to the UK or Scottish campaigns, but will donate to local candidates. I love talking to Tam – he is clever, sharp, contrary and totally principled. A great man and everything you would want in a parliamentarian.

A journalist called advising that the POA, who had been threatening to go on strike, had been offered £2k per member to prevent it. This has been offered to officers only and NOT backroom staff. It is dressed up as ‘professionalization’ of the service. This amounts to a seven per cent increase. Good for them, but what are the other public service unions getting? What are PCS, Unite, GMB and UNISON getting – one per cent? Those who accept have to agree not to strike for two years. Hat’s off to the POA for securing this deal but it’s at a cost, regardless of how it’s dressed up. It’s a no strike deal and makes a mockery of public sector pay policy. I raised this at the Labour trade union group tonight.

20 FEBRUARY: When I got home after work, I cooked for the first time in ages – made a paneer curry and homemade chapattis. Best thing I’ve made in a long time. Nice evening in with Fiona and Chloe.

21 FEBRUARY: Shettleston St Joseph’s Church for a Labour event with Yes voters. Murphy and Margaret Curran trying to push the message that the referendum was last year’s disagreement and that we should now agree to get rid of the Tories and only Labour can do this. This is fair enough but it is making no inroads.

23 FEBRUARY: The Channel 4 show Dispatches has snared Malcolm Rifkind and Jack Straw in a lobbying sting. There is now a press feeding frenzy as both said they could make speeches or get access to people for cash. Rifkind said he couldn’t live on £650k per year and Straw said his speeches start at £5k a time. This is absolutely sickening when there are people out there trying to survive on £6.50 an hour, and queues at food banks lengthen by the day. No wonder people are cynical about politics.

24 FEBRUARY: Scottish Parliament petitions committee. Dr Neil McGuire for the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Authority (MHRA) gave evidence on mesh – and he was woeful. Despite all the evidence, he is still claiming the benefits outweigh the risks of mesh being implanted. There was a big turnout from the mesh survivors group. When I asked if he would allow his wife to be implanted by mesh, he said he would ensure a big list of things were in place beforehand and waffled on and on. Totally unconvincing and arrogant.

Adam Slater, an American attorney, was blistering in his evidence. Two million people worldwide have been fitted with mesh. Hundreds of thousands of lawsuits are waiting to be heard in court. He described mesh as a social cancer like asbestos (deemed a super product at first but with disastrous health consequences). He said the mesh industry was riddled with conflicts of interest and he had internal documents from companies showing serious malpractice. His evidence was explosive.

Rifkind has resigned as chair of the House of Commons security committee today and won’t be a candidate at the election. Straw has had the whip withdrawn. Idiots. Two former foreign secretaries with over 60 years’ experience between them in parliament getting themselves involved in a lobbying sting. Unbelievable. This is exactly the type of case that feeds public cynicism of the political process and the belief that all politicians are on the take. This is why we need a lobbying register.

25 FEBRUARY: Met again with Dr Jane Hamilton and her friend. Jane, a respected psychologist, has effectively been sacked by the NHS after a long period of suspension. She was suspended for raising concerns about dangerous practices and poor levels of service within the National Centre of Excellence for Perinatal Mental Health at St John’s Hospital, Livingston. She says people have died and been badly injured because of poor service and bad management. She tried numerous times to raise concerns with management but was bullied, belittled and had her professionalism questioned. This is someone I find credible and who prior to this had an unblemished record in the NHS. After five years of suspension on full pay, she has now been told she has to accept a financial package and leave. She doesn’t want to go and money is not the motivation. She wants her name cleared and the service made safe with all serious incidents investigated. There has been a review of the service but this was done by friends of the management and is seen by many staff as a whitewash. Each complaint she has made and the serious incidents she reported have not been fully investigated. It’s clear we need a powerful, fully independent health care regulator with real powers and real teeth. At the moment anyone who raises concerns against the NHS is singled out, marginalised, has their professionalism questioned and is manoeuvred out the door.

At Justice Questions today I asked the new Minister Michael Matheson if he would hold an inquiry into the miners’ strike and the miscarriages of justice related to it. Matheson parrots the line that McAskill gave – individuals should complain to the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission. The reality is they don’t want to do anything to right these wrongs.

26 FEBRUARY: Dr Jane Hamilton has now been paid off and none of the issues raised have been addressed. There is still a poor culture in the NHS around whistleblowers, inadequate training for staff and many other related problems remain. She is adamant people have died because of these failings, and I believe her. This won’t go away – neither Jane nor I will let it. It is too important.

27 FEBRUARY: I brought together the developers of the Heartlands project at Whitburn and the Wheatley Partnership, a social housing group, to discuss the potential for social housing on their site. We badly need more housing for rent in West Lothian and there is a possibility the abundance of land at Whitburn could be used for new homes for rent. A deal could be done to bring more much-needed social housing to the area. Fingers crossed.

To Blackburn leafleting with Graeme Morrice. It was good to be back in Ladeside Road where my Aunty Mary stayed and in the park where I played as a kid. The flats we stayed in are gone but I still have great memories and a real attachment to the place.

To Bathgate for my school reunion – 30 years after we left St Kent’s. We met in David Stein’s pub in Bathgate. David was one of my badminton partners and a pal at school. He now runs a bar and a couple of family butchers shops. Some of the folk I hadn’t seen for decades but I still recognised them all. It was great fun meeting them again.

28 FEBRUARY: Great news today as my sister-in-law Gail had a baby – he is called Leo. This is her first child at the age of 44. Her and Louis have gone through a lot but this is fantastic news – a genuine miracle. Louis isn’t a man who gives much away but he is the proudest dad I have ever seen – good on him. Great day!

29 FEBRUARY: In Glenrothes for Shadow Cabinet meeting. Murphy spoke about Clause IV, and will attempt to rush it through conference. He said he wanted me to talk to the unions to get behind it. He asked what I thought about it and wasn’t happy when I said I wasn’t ‘exactly bursting with enthusiasm for it’, and was sure some would oppose it. He then said he wanted us to be enthusiastic and show our support. I won’t but will just stay quiet as there are things to die in a ditch for, but this is such bollocks and it’s not worth it. No one really cares. Afterwards, as we were having a cup of tea and a sandwich, Murphy said very loudly, and in front of all colleagues, that UNISON Labour Link had voted against the new Clause IV, and that he wanted me to speak in support of the change and reference to ‘patriotism’ at the coming one-day conference. I said, ‘Sorry I don’t believe in it. I think it’s unnecessary and divisive.’ Looking me straight in the eye, he said, ‘I am now asking you to speak in favour.’ I looked him in the eye and replied, ‘I wouldn’t ask you to do something you didn’t want to, so don’t ask me to do the same!’ He replied, ‘Yes you would, it’s called leadership! I need you to do it.’

I said, ‘I can’t and won’t.’ He was seething, and clearly expected me to roll over in front of everyone.

Jim won’t let this lie, but how could I go out there and sell my soul for such nonsense? If the boot was on the other foot he would be nowhere to be seen. Over the last two years the Labour left fought nationalism, taking stick from the pro-Indy left in very tough community and trade union meetings throughout the country. We argued for economic solidarity and redistribution, common social and cultural class bonds and the need for a unified trade union movement across the UK. And now Murphy, one of the central characters in the Better Together fiasco, wants me to bail him out of his Clause IV mess, all because he ignored the advice of senior members in the Shadow Cabinet and senior members of the party’s executive committee.

On the way home from campaigning in Fife, I took a beautiful photo of the winding wheel at the old Frances Colliery – tomorrow is the 30th anniversary of the miners’ strike.

3 MARCH: Hugh Henry told me that CLPs in his region who generally support Jim don’t like his Clause IV proposal. He said I was right not to speak in favour of it.

4 MARCH: Morning leafleting session in Fauldhouse. Freezing and feeling awful so home and straight to bed. A few minutes later Hugh Henry phoned to say Murphy had asked HIM to speak at conference in favour of his Clause IV. Hugh said his own CLP was opposed just as he was opposed and that he wouldn’t do it. Good on him.

Ashcroft polls have the SNP on 53 seats, Labour one (Murphy by one per cent), Lib Dem one and Tory one. This is cataclysmic. I’m beginning to feel that every time Murphy appears on TV, every comment he gives or photo taken loses us more and more votes. When I ask people I know for an opinion on him, they say he is false, insincere, lacking in any substance and hasn’t a principled bone in his body. Scotland is heading towards a one-party state!

Chloe started her second occupational therapy placement at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital dealing with people with acute mental health problems, schizophrenia, depression etc. She is loving it and taking it all in her stride. I am so proud of her attitude and quiet confidence.

5 MARCH: Met with a rep from Whitburn Community Development Trust frustrated at the lack of progress on town centre funding. Whitburn is a town of around 10,000 folk, many Glasgow overspill people who arrived in the ’60s and ’70s to work at British Leyland, Polkemmet pit, Levi’s and Plessey. The town has a number of prominent abandoned or burnt out buildings, like the old Labour club, miners’ welfare, British Legion etc. It badly needs a lift and investment in the main street. Many initiatives have come to little but the latest is a community consultation called a ‘charrette’. These type of things have been done time and again and bugger all happens. MSP Fiona Hyslop has an office in the town but has done nothing to move things forward. I will write to the council to find out what’s happening with town centre budgets.

Met with Prison Officers Association chief Steve Gillan to discuss the no-strike deal. We had a friendly, frank and open chat. It appears that inter-union rivalry between the POA and PCS in the prison service is causing bad blood. He rejected the claim that it’s a no-strike agreement, so we agreed to disagree.

Jackie Baillie led for us in today’s debate on the economy. Swinney tried his best ‘Honest John’ routine, never mentioning corporation tax once. This was a central pledge of their economic case for independence, but not one of their MSPs mentioned it. In my speech I went for Swinney and Mark McDonald and have never seen Swinney so angry – he was mouthing a very clear expletive at me across the chamber! He likes to dish it out but can’t take it back. McDonald is just a sycophant.

Tonight I was invited to the newspaper editor’s event. Salmond was there. He has just entered into an agreement with Rupert Murdoch for his book – Harper Collins will publish and The Sun will serialise it. The editors who spoke don’t think the election result will be as bad for Labour as the polls suggest but I’m not so sure. I fear the worst.

A strange thing happened at the event. I was one of the only Labour MSPs there and stood over at the right hand side of the room, watching proceedings. Salmond was on the other side, 20 yards away, but by the time the editors’ panel started answering questions, he had edged his way over and was on my shoulder almost breathing down my neck! It was really odd behaviour. I ignored him but he was clearly trying to intimidate me. I think it may have been his response to me criticising him for doing a deal with Murdoch. He is a strange man.

6 MARCH: 46 today – 40-chuffing-6! Where has my life gone? I don’t feel any different from when I was 26 or 16; I still have the same mates, laugh at the same rubbish and live in the same place but I can’t get my head round 46. I see Chloe and my nieces Eilidh and Millie growing up and I’m stunned at the speed of time. Clichéd I know, but also true.

Met adult learners from the Ladies of Livingston group. They were brilliant and I enjoyed talking to them. These are women who for various reasons such as bringing up a family, having a poor school or family experience missed out on education but are now involved in learning through the local community centre. They have completed a community health course and are growing in confidence and taking a real interest in local issues and politics. We had a great debate and discussion on a whole range of issues. I told them about my return to education via evening classes, college and then university. I hope I have encouraged them to keep up their interest.

7 MARCH: Edinburgh International Conference Centre for Scottish Labour one-day conference. This is a crucial event as we are only two months from the election. The big issue is Murphy’s Clause IV. Unite and UNISON are allegedly voting against and GMB may abstain. All week the leadership has been nervous, thinking they might lose. They won’t because they never do – if necessary they will manipulate the debate to secure their victory. I went in for the debate and sat at the back of the hall. Jamie Glackin, the party chairman, duly obliged calling eight people in favour of Murphy’s Clause IV, including the Community Union (shock horror), Bill Butler (he was clearly approached by Murphy to do this when Hugh and I refused), Davie (I am on a journey) Hamilton (how many journey’s has Davie been on?), and the patriotic Anne McGuire. Vince Mills spoke against for Unite and was excellent, speaking about class not nation and quoting Keir Hardie on patriotism. It was easily the best and most substantial speech in the debate. I couldn’t help but recall the 1994 Clause IV debate. Then, Jim Devine chaired superbly, calling 18 in favour of change and 17 against. All the serious players took part, it was electric and Blair’s Clause IV was carried by a small majority with UNISON abstaining. Today’s debate was a whimper by comparison, but we are all patriots now apparently.

Miliband’s speech was okay but he doesn’t excite or inspire. Some of the policy stuff is good, for example the living wage, zero hours and taxation policy, but he just can’t connect with people.

Murphy’s speech was impressive. He made new announcements about no tuition fees and £1,600 for all young people not in education or on an apprenticeship. Good policies, but the problem is he lacks authenticity. If you haven’t mentioned nationalising the railways or redistribution for the last 20 years, then suddenly it’s all you talk about, it’s no surprise when no one believes you.

9 MARCH: Motherwell Shadow Cabinet meeting. General view is the conference was good and there were positives to build on. McTernan gave a presentation on the feedback from yet more focus groups. People are telling them they think the parliament has done its job, protecting Scotland from the Tories. They want Labour to connect with them on Labour values. They want us to tell them how we will make life better for them and their families. They want credible people to put across our message and will use the phrase ‘Scotland succeeds when working families succeed’.

We got a briefing from MP Frank Roy. He took 61 per cent of the vote in 2010 but his area voted Yes in the referendum and he’s a worried man. We went canvassing in Craigneuk and time and again people raised Labour’s Better Together pact with the Tories as the reason for their desertion. This is in the street that overlooked Ravenscraig – no wonder they are scathing.

10 MARCH: Leaflet run done by 7am then to the Dogs Trust at West Calder for a visit. They look after all sorts of abandoned dogs. They never put down a healthy animal and keep them for years if necessary. Great facilities and great staff.

I missed the Labour group today but apparently McTernan gave a presentation and took questions and when asked about Miliband’s unpopularity and how it was coming up on the doorstep he said Miliband was very popular and his policies were hugely successful. When someone asked a similar question he refused to discuss it further. This guy is unbelievable – Labour members pay his wages but he thinks he can do and say whatever he likes to whoever he likes.

Hugh Henry said that Murphy is planning to open up the list process. This will be to get his pals in who lose their seats at the General Election. All the so called ‘A team’!

11 MARCH: GERS figures out today show how Scotland would lose heavily with full fiscal autonomy. This would be devastating for the funding of public services. The STUC described it as ‘a sobering reminder of the consequences of ending the Barnett formula’. UK-wide redistribution is central to creating a fairer society.

Received a phone call from a film company who had read my report into the miners’ convictions. They are keen to make a film about someone seeking justice and overturning their conviction. I spoke to Bruce Shields at Thompson’s Solicitors, but he was lying on the floor at the time with a bad back. He wants to help and I asked them to consider Alex Bennett’s case.

Took part in economy debate. John Swinney did verbal and economic gymnastics to try and prove that a massive public spending deficit under FFA is actually good news. In a throwaway line Swinney casually said the gap would be filled by increasing exports by 50 per cent. Just like that! Now why hasn’t anyone else thought of that? Do folk really swallow this stuff? 50 per cent, really? Gil Paterson took to lying to defend his position, saying it was Labour who wanted to end the Barnett formula.

Tommy off today with the lurgy – everyone seems to have it. Awaiting my turn.

Got a PQ reply on blacklisting. Keith Brown now trying to say they cannot determine whether the companies involved now are the same legal entities as those who blacklisted in the first place. This is yet another attempt to wriggle out of doing anything. The rhetoric from government and their actions are miles apart. They really are duplicitous on this.

12 MARCH: Met with blacklisted sparks Stuart Merchant and Francie Graham, along with Jackson Cullinane from Unite. Both lads are real characters who have been working together for years, but have been denied work on numerous jobs because they were trade unionists. They are unhappy at the way the SNP have been dealing with blacklisting. Guidance issued to contractors is a waste of paper and is being ignored as blacklisting companies have secured contracts on the new Victoria & Albert, in Dundee, the Aberdeen by-pass and a Dumfries hospital. I will pursue these issues for them.

At FMQs, Kez led on the GERS figures and the black hole it would leave in Scotland’s finances. Knowing she was on a hiding to nothing, Sturgeon reverted to ‘Labour talking Scotland down’ – utterly pathetic!

To Whitburn Labour Party to talk about the situation post-leadership election and where we go from here with preparations for the election. Apparently some SNP branches are getting 150 at a meeting. We had seven people there. That’s the challenge we face.

13 MARCH: After work, Fiona and I went to see The Slab Boys. Brilliant play by John Byrne – working class humour that reflects real life. Right up my street.

14 MARCH: To Ferguslie Park, Paisley where I was asked to launch big Jim Sheridan’s campaign. Jim is a solid working-class MP, a former printer and councillor and chair of the Unite group of MPs. He doesn’t like Murphy and nominated me in the leadership election. He should win his seat in Renfrewshire by a large majority but won’t as it’s in an area that returned a big Yes vote in the referendum. We did some canvassing then I gave a short speech to his team to try to gee them up. Good bunch of folk.

16 MARCH: To Rugby Park, home of Kilmarnock FC, for a Shadow Cabinet meeting. Jim insisted Ed Miliband will rule out a coalition with the SNP because they want to end the Barnett formula, and that we need constitutional stability.

Long discussion on election issues – people raised food banks, care tax, childcare, social care, NHS etc. Murphy said he had £100 million in his spending plans to allocate and was looking for ideas. He then said, ‘This is the point that Ken (McIntosh) says spend it on ending the care tax, and Neil (Findlay) says spend it on social care. But we won’t be spending it on either as it makes no impact on the focus groups, so we won’t do it!’ Well, if ever you wanted evidence of the complete lack of principle or conviction there it was. It’s not about doing what is right by people. If I hear about focus groups one more time I will scream. There is no politics, just cynical misguided opportunism.

I raised a point about being asked to do election hustings, and asked why MSPs were expected to attend when it was a UK election. I said all hustings should be covered by MPs. I mentioned a request from the Lanarkshire Morning Star group to do one. Murphy said there was no point in doing such a meeting as there were no votes in it for us. If there are no votes for us at a Morning Star meeting then we are well and truly done for. When he said that, Cathy Jamieson and I looked at each other gobsmacked. There may not be many votes in it but there will be NONE if we leave an empty chair. I can’t stand this much longer.

Murphy also said they were holding a low-pay summit that I have to chair – no discussion with me beforehand. Why do they do this? It is of course deliberate.

Miliband ruled out teaming up with the SNP, despite Sturgeon saying she wants an anti-Tory coalition, while urging a vote for the Greens in England. This is the woman who said she wants to end air passenger duty, has missed climate change targets and will build motorways between our cities!

Hilary Wainwright wanted to discuss the role of the left in a Labour-led Government. She believes Plaid Cymru, the SNP and Greens were all on the left and that Labour should work with them. She is typical of many on the English left who have bought this ‘SNP are socialist’ crap. I urged her to look beyond the rhetoric to the reality.

17 MARCH: Today, Rachel Reeves, the Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary said, ‘Labour is not the party of welfare, we don’t want to be the party of the unemployed, we want to be the party of working people.’ Well of course we are the party of workers but we are also the party of people who can’t work for whatever reason and we can’t just abandon them. We should be the party that supports all people to live fulfilling lives; the party that helps people make a contribution to society. Is she saying we give up on people like my brother who, because he has MS, can’t work? I hope not but that’s how it came across. Who is advising these folk? How can we expect to win back people in our poorest communities? This will be thrown back at us during the election. I told Murphy of my displeasure, but he advised we say nothing as it will be seen as a split. Wait for it, but Rachel Reeves is coming to Scotland to campaign next week. Ah, the timing. She will go down like a bag of vomit if indeed anyone knows who she is. Highly likely Sean Clerkin and his militia will be there shouting ‘witty banter’ in her face.

18 MARCH: Morning spell campaigning in new housing scheme in Armadale. The place is really expanding with all the new builds. Met Archie Meikle from Ashwood Construction to discuss apprenticeships, the economic outlook and all things building trade. His company has a good employment ethos and have put some of their profits into a trust to disburse. He also sponsors kids affected by the Chernobyl disaster.

Visited the Sky academy at Livingston. Sky is a huge local employer and has set up an academy to give pupils experience of making a TV programme and working in the sector. Kay Burley showed us round the facility, which is an amazing asset. I dislike all Murdoch stands for, and don’t have Sky TV in the house, but couldn’t help be impressed by their set up.

To parliament to take part in Green debate calling for a £10 per hour minimum wage. Alison Johnston spoke for them – she is a decent, straight forward person but because there are only two of them, they get away with a lot. In the debate, Roseanna Cunningham came away with the usual guff ‘we really want to increase wages and improve people’s terms and conditions and if only we had the powers we would do so.’ In debate, I pointed out Labour had cut in-work poverty by 10 per cent and absolute poverty by 40 per cent when we were in power in Scotland, whereas under the SNP it is increasing. The SNP have no redistributive policies, yet always blame others for poverty increasing. Patrick Harvie summed up for the Greens – he is a very able, prickly politician but often too sanctimonious and pious for his own good. He had a go at the failing of past Labour Governments through selective use of facts and figures and did not like it when I asked him to name anything the Greens have done in their history. The reality is they have achieved little or nothing. In Brighton, where they run the council, their great success is a long-running strike by binmen whose wages they slashed.

After the debate, there was members’ business on the issue of racial discrimination, which gave everyone an opportunity to have a go at UKIP MEP David Coburn, who at the weekend referred to the SNPs Humza Yousaf as Abu Hamza, the convicted extremist preacher. Coburn is a dangerous fool who will say things like this to draw attention to himself. I despise UKIP and their false, man-down-the-pub act, which tries to disguise their far right, ultra-Thatcherite crap. They would privatise the NHS, end the welfare state, scrap the minimum wage, ban trade unions and send kids up chimneys in a heartbeat. I pray to God Farage doesn’t get elected.

19 MARCH: To FMQs where Kez questioned Sturgeon on the GERS figures and the plummeting oil revenues. Finally Sturgeon admitted the SNPs oil forecasts were wrong – progress at last. But she also predictably flung back the Rachel Reeves and Ed Balls’ quotes that there was nothing in Osborne’s budget he would reverse. My Lord – nothing in a Tory budget to reverse. What the hell is going on? Ruth Davidson had a good line – calling out Sturgeon for demanding tax cuts for the oil industry in Scotland and a vote for the Greens in England!

20 MARCH: To the Govan Law Centre to meet Mike Dailly with my constituents Mr and Mrs Waddell. They have suffered 17 years of torture because their house was built on land the builder didn’t own. There were conveyancing errors and a failure by lawyers to sort things out. The result is they have no effective title on their property (nor do many neighbours). They have been threatened with eviction, suffered years of legal wrangles and appear no further forward. As a couple, they have shown amazing tenacity and resilience. I’m determined to get a result for them.

Mike was very helpful – he is the chief solicitor at the law centre, which helps poor and vulnerable people with housing, consumer and other advice and representation. They do great work and Mike is one of those anti-establishment lawyers who likes to take on the big guys on behalf of ordinary people. We will write to the Minister and the Law Society seeking meetings and threatening to bring forward members’ legislation to ensure this doesn’t happen to anyone else. However, this won’t help the Waddells. We need to meet the Law Society to try and pursue their case to conclusion.

21 MARCH: To Broxburn Chapel for my Uncle Pat’s funeral. He was 91 and lived his last years as a blind double amputee due to diabetes. Right to the end he was cheerful, chatty and in great spirits. My cousin Pat, who is a mad, brilliant, eccentric priest, took care of the service. He does all our family services, my wedding, Chloe’s christening and my da’s funeral. He spoke about Pat’s life in the army during the war, his work in the shale industry; at BP in Grangemouth and his love of dancing and family life. I did one of the readings and was very nervous. Had it been a speech I would have been fine, but it’s amazing that something as simple as reading in strange surroundings has that impact.

22 MARCH: To Blackburn for leafleting. Afterwards, I watched The Andrew Marr Show, and Salmond said, ‘he will write the first Labour budget!’ I think he has completely lost the plot!

Today the Sunday Mail went big on zero hours contracts. When is Murphy going to launch the Charter of Workers’ Rights I have been developing? It’s a gift for us. Why the wait?

23 MARCH: James Kelly phoned to urge me to go to Clydebank Town Hall for the Miliband event. I would have preferred to stay and help in Armadale at the by-election with our candidate Andrew McGuire but agreed to go. Miliband dismissed Salmond’s budget claim saying, ‘I think he has a book to sell.’ Not Miliband’s biggest fan after the way he behaved with Johann etc. but he set out his case well – fairness, bankers’ bonus tax, 50p rate, mansion tax, etc. He appeared with the local MP Gemma Doyle who is defending a 17,000 majority, but she won’t win, of that I’m certain. I couldn’t help notice Murphy’s hair has changed colour – he must have binned the dye! Noticing this reminded me of something someone sent me just after the leadership election. It was an article from a newspaper in which the columnist said he wouldn’t vote for any of the three candidates as ‘they all died their hair, were all vegetarians and all teetotal!’ Well I can’t speak for Sarah but what I can say is he was way wide of the mark on all three counts when it comes to me – teetotal indeed!

24 MARCH: Disturbed to learn that a German plane crashed over the Alps killing all 150 on board. I’m always worried by air crashes given my sister’s job as a stewardess. She loves her job and travels all over the world and hasn’t had any major scares but after 30 years it still terrifies me.

Salmond says he is going to stop the Tories running a minority government. He was interviewed by the New Statesman and agreed to the interview only if they provided a bottle of pink champagne. His ego is running riot.

25 MARCH: Spoke to David Kelly about his review into social care. He is really frustrated at the lack of support from the Labour Party since I was moved from the health portfolio. I was speechless. Social care is the biggest issue in health care at the moment and David was at the forefront of developing West Lothian’s ground-breaking approach to it and yet there is a reluctance to help him develop new policy in case it recommends tax rises!

26 MARCH: Into the chamber and asked Shona Robison a question about Dr Jane Hamilton, the sacked psychologist. Robison turned the question into a personnel issue rather than the whistleblowing and safety matter it is. The service she worked in has huge problems with poor training, management failure, several major incidents etc. We also need to look at how concerns in the NHS are dealt with. Too many who raise these concerns and go public are victimised, brow beaten and often hounded out of the job. I will need to put my thoughts into how we address this. Jane Hamilton has applied for several jobs in Scotland, many of which do not get filled because of a lack of psychologists, and each time she is refused or the job gets withdrawn – shocking stuff. Prior to recent events she had enjoyed an unblemished career spanning decades.

To Armadale St Anthony’s Club to help with the by-election. A good turnout of party members to help out in the snow this morning, and while it cleared up later, it was sunny and freezing. We worked the doors all day. It is safe to say the flourishing of Scottish democracy after the referendum has not quite reached Armadale and Blackbridge as only 30 per cent turned out to vote. After the polls closed we went for a few beers to reflect on a campaign that had an excellent candidate, and a large number of people involved. We couldn’t have done much more.

27 MARCH: To Howden Park Centre for the by-election count. On the first count, the SNP took 42 per cent and Labour 27 per cent. It was an STV count and took ages. Eventually the SNP got over the quota – 50 per cent to Labour’s 42. I was gutted for Andrew, who should be proud of his efforts. His time will come.

28 MARCH: At the SNP conference, Sturgeon said the SNP will give Labour some spine, which is remarkable given not one of her MPs or MSPs has anything more than the backbone of a jellyfish. None of them stand up to her, and not one has an independent voice or thought. None of them have broken the whip on any issue of substance in parliament since 2007.

29 MARCH: John Swinney says the SNP will agree to a 50p tax rate. Last week they said there would be no tax rises but this with full fiscal autonomy will impact on 16,000 Scottish taxpayers. Across the UK it will be 300,000 people and we will get a share of the money via Barnett if it were to remain.

31 MARCH: At last, the Charter of Worker’s Rights is launched! It’s a positive policy and set of proposals on issues such as zero hours’ contracts, agency working, health and safety, blacklisting, apprenticeships, tribunal fees etc. – all very relevant to working people. It’s something we can sell to trade unions and their members if we shout loud enough and sell it properly, but the reality is Murphy and McTernan don’t believe in any of this stuff and will play much of it down.

2 APRIL: To parliament for the launch of Richard Simpson’s alcohol bill. I like Richard, he’s a sincere and consistent right-winger who was in the SDP, but he is a very straight person to deal with. He was a GP and psychiatrist working with people with drug and alcohol dependency and is a genuine caring person. He knows everything there is to know about the NHS and has brilliant connections throughout. He was really helpful and supportive when I did the Shadow Health job despite the reservations he would have had about my politics, which are different from his. He is just back after recovering from cancer of the oesophagus and is looking much better. His bill aims to introduce a wide range of measures to address alcohol-related issues.

At First Minister’s Questions Kez led on full fiscal autonomy. Sturgeon is wriggling like a snake on this. It would mean a £7.6 billion black hole in Scotland’s budget. All credible commentators see it is mad but as with everything else the SNP simply say black is white and white is black.

I asked Sturgeon to distance herself from the vile online abuse that is flying around but of course she just turned it on Labour and is completely unwilling to lead on this when she could have influence. Of course, after FMQs I was bombarded by yet more abuse from the cybernats. They demanded I condemn some idiot who tweeted about wanting Sturgeon hanged – of course I condemn such appalling behaviour, these folk are crazy. But what gets me is the belief that sending an email or tweeting abuse is somehow political activism. A lot of the new found army of keyboard warriors have never been involved in community activism, never volunteered for a local voluntary group, a community council, been on a picket line, supported people in struggle yet they now have the audacity to question the commitment and efforts of people who have been involved in their local communities for decades.

Leaders’ election debate tonight. It wasn’t as big a rabble as it could’ve been. Cameron was rubbish and posted missing; he said little of any substance and was pretty anonymous. Miliband did quite well. Sturgeon came across well because she was largely unchallenged on many of her sweeping assertions. The rest don’t know what her government have and have not been up to; like the detail of the failing in our NHS, colleges etc. but she handles herself well in this format and is well briefed.

3 APRIL: Went out to Bathgate tonight with pals for a few drinks. It was great to get away from politics and have a laugh and a catch up – simple pleasures in life are the best. Both my pals’ daughters have signed up for a school holiday to Peru. Peru? Whatever happened to school camp at Aberfoyle? How do kids whose parents can barely buy them a uniform and give them dinner money feel when some kids are going to Peru? Schools really have to think this through and be more sensitive to the plight of poorer pupils.

4 APRIL: The Telegraph has published a story quoting a leaked UK Government memo of a meeting between the French Ambassador and Nicola Sturgeon, in which it says ‘Miliband is not Prime Ministerial material and she would prefer Cameron.’ Labour now saying this is evidence of the SNP leader saying one thing in public and another in private, secretly wanting a Tory Government. Well of course they want a Tory Government as this would be the best way to push for another referendum! Social media has exploded with these claims. The cybernats and keyboard warriors are foaming at the mouth, indignant that anyone would say anything about the blessed Nicola. Both Sturgeon and the French Consul have denied it, but there is something strange about this story.

5 APRIL: Easter Sunday and it’s a beautiful day. Mass at Stoneyburn with Father Haluka then home to make dinner. All the family and extended family came – Mum, Anna and Jim, John and Sharron, Martin (Lynne, Eilidh and Millie are in Tenerife). Wee Leo was there (a four-week-old miracle) and Eleana, Eva and Chloe appeared after their work. A lovely lunch then played some of my old albums from the loft on my new turntable; Goodbye Mr McKenzie, The Jam, Echo and the Bunnymen, the Dubliners, Johnny Cash, Donovan and many more. Simple pleasures.

I had an interesting conversation with my niece Eleana about the election. She confirmed what I thought, that none of her peers (except Tommy’s daughter Caitlin) are listening to Labour, they will all vote SNP. We need to offer young people hope and an alternative to austerity, job insecurity and living standards lower than their parents experienced. Apart from this depressing chat it was a lovely day.

6 APRIL: Another gorgeous day. Fiona in the garden so I left her pottering around and went to Murieston to canvass. It was okay but there are a lot of ‘don’t knows’ who I suspect are closet Tories. The rumour is the SNP believe they are so far ahead in Livingston they are pulling resources out and moving them elsewhere. Probably true and frightening.

The polls suggest 43 seats for the SNP and 11 for Labour. If this is accurate then this will be a huge moment for the Scottish party, however I fear it could be worse because I have tried to name the 11 seats we will win and can’t get past three. If it’s as bad as I suspect, we need to face up to some very big issues. Do we accept independence; push the Red Paper line on federalism and a second question in a future referendum; should we fold up the tent and start again with a new or relaunched party and a new constitution, new branding and most importantly policy agenda? Do we become a stand-alone Scottish Party? In short, what the hell do we do?

7 APRIL: Tony Blair intervened in the election today opposing an in-out referendum on the EU. Sturgeon has said the same. So she wants a new referendum on an in-out of the UK but not in-out of the EU. No effort to answer why she wants to leave a small union, where our biggest market and closest neighbours are but remain part of a bigger union with all its well documented anti-democratic practices and a much smaller market.

8 APRIL: Got copy of the new Red Paper publication to be launched and distributed at the STUC conference. Later I took a call from a journalist who told me John McTernan is on £84,000 per year. I would rather put 84 grand on Labour to win every seat in Scotland with a 20,000 majority than pay him a penny.

9 APRIL: Visited Maple Villa dementia care unit in Livingston with a constituent whose dad is a resident. Was shown round by a nurse and spoke to a number of staff, residents and family members. It is a lovely place, and looks after some very ill men. The staff are run ragged because there aren’t enough of them, so the care they can provide is not of the quality it should be. Staff are angry and frustrated and families of these poor men are distraught. They can’t even get bank staff to cover as the work is so hard. This is the reality of front line care in our health and social care system. It’s heartbreaking and makes me angry as the government are in denial.

10 APRIL: Met William Lumsden and Scott Corrigan from Greenburn Golf Club. They have an idea for developing a golf education project based on the life story and history of Tom Morris, who has connections to West Lothian. An interesting project.

12 APRIL: Sunday Politics leaders’ debate had Sturgeon, Murphy, Rennie and Davidson all shouting at each other – terrible.

Got a call to tell me Salmond has met INEOS and their boss Jim Ratcliffe around 12 times – twice at his home in Switzerland. They are clearly cutting a deal on fracking. I have an FOI in on this but the government are blocking it so we have appealed. We are definitely onto something.

14 APRIL: Spoke to Libby Brooks at the Guardian who was wondering if I knew what the hell was going on as Murphy has said no cuts needed after 2015/16, whereas Chuka Umunna has said, ‘The leader of the Scottish Labour Party won’t set UK policy and doesn’t hold the budget.’ The SNP are in raptures with ‘branch office’ quotes flying out of their press office. What a fiasco! The SNP are on 54 per cent. It is clear we are stuffed and may need to take a hiding and start from scratch.

To Bents for canvassing – best night of the entire campaign to date. Really cheered me up. Met lots of folk I knew who were saying they would vote Labour.

17 APRIL: To Tollcross Leisure Centre to launch Scottish Labour’s General Election manifesto – such a surreal event. Jim Murphy gave one of the most left-wing, anti-austerity, pro-public services speeches from a Scottish Labour politician in 25 years. He spoke of class politics, ending poverty, no tuition fees (he was the NUS leader who got them to abandon opposition to tuition fees), ending zero-hours’ contracts – he even mentioned socialism! Things he has rarely mentioned in his political career yet here he was spouting lines he would previously have slated as impractical, utopian and unelectable. We then had former jailed miner David Hamilton give a passionate speech about the miners’ strike, his father’s zero hours contract and socialism again. It was stirring stuff – all we needed at the end was ‘three cheers for international socialism!’

Melanie Ward, a ‘New Labour ultra’, then introduced Ed Miliband, who took questions from the usual plants. They must have been pinching themselves and thinking ‘what the hell is going on, I never signed up for this socialism malarkey!’ I did find the whole thing pretty funny. The issues now being pushed, many of them through sheer desperation, are issues the left has pursued for years and been opposed or ignored by the likes of Murphy and McTernan, and now being claimed as their policies. I couldn’t help but think back to a conversation with Anne McKechin and others during the leadership elections, telling me that I must ‘talk about business and reach out to the business community’, as if I was oblivious to that. I wonder what she thinks today – Murphy never mentioned business once.

Journalists asked if I had written Murphy’s speech! Now, that was funny.

Ashcroft Poll suggests Douglas Alexander and Murphy will lose their seats. We could end up with Ian Murray and Willie Bain as our only MPs – the revolution is safe in their hands! If this happens all bets are off and we move into uncharted territory. New leader? No money? Goodbye McTernan and the rest of Murphy’s recruits; Kez comes in – no one else likely to stand. What will the unions do? How will the party react? What will the public reaction be?

18 APRIL: To Loganlea Miners’ Welfare to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the miners’ strike. The club was packed with a broad mix of people. Locals who always support our events, ex-miners and their families, Labour Party members who were active during the strike, organising food collections, soup kitchens, women’s support groups and much more. The council have passed a motion to commemorate the anniversary. It was proposed by Councillor Angela Moohan whose husband Brendan was a miner at Bilston Glen and who was sacked during the strike. NUM President, Nicky Wilson spoke of the strike, its struggles, the laughs, support from the community and the role of women. I called for an inquiry into the miscarriages of justice experienced by Scottish miners.

Emma Peattie, the council’s libraries and museums officer, put an appeal out to all who attended to take part in a memorial book she is compiling. I hope she gets support for it as it would be a terrific way to mark such a huge event in our area’s history.

19 APRIL: Speculation today that Murphy has taken legal advice on whether he can remain leader if he loses his seat. He is obviously worried.

20 APRIL: At the STUC conference where I met Stephen Smellie of UNISON, and a group of Kurds who are lobbying about their plight in Turkey and surrounding areas. Stephen has done some excellent work raising the profile of their cause.

The new Red Paper publication got a good show in today’s Herald. We must get the Labour Party onto the federalism agenda. Maybe someone might listen if we get an electoral hammering.

In the afternoon Ed Miliband spoke. The STUC is a tough audience but he spoke well, with real passion. This was the best I’ve heard him and he received a standing ovation.

Later, we went to the Unite reception and enjoyed great music and a right old trade union sing song. The type of event to cheer you up in the middle of an election!

22 APRIL: Canvassing today – very good response. There seems to be a bit of a fall out in the local election camp so David Cleghorn has taken over. Good move as he is experienced, committed and knows what he is doing.

23 APRIL: To Clydebank Trades Council for a debate on workers’ rights with Martin Docherty-Hughes of the SNP. During the referendum, Clydebank was a tough place and at public meetings and debates a lot of aggressive nationalists abused speakers who argued for a ‘No’ vote. Richard Leonard and Anas Sarwar were subjected to horrendous anti-English and borderline racist taunts and heckling.

Docherty-Hughes was confident but with poor debating points. He used that typical SNP style of ‘Scotch couthieness’ to try and curry favour with the audience. He spoke of ‘when he went to the shipyard gates with his mother, he passed by men shaped by misogyny, only 10 of whom would give their pay packet to their wives. The rest would be pissed up against the wall in Connolly’s Bar!’ I attacked this outrageous statement where he characterised the thousands of shipyard workers as drunken women haters. Perhaps some did as he described but to write off all men of this town was appalling.

24 APRIL: To Livingston for the opening of the new Carers of West Lothian Centre. They are a brilliant organisation who help so many people who care for family and friends.

Then to Glasgow to eventually launch the workplace manifesto with Murphy. We should have been campaigning on this months ago as it is real policies that will affect working people in a very positive way. The event was nothing more than a press launch so I stayed for a short while and left Jim and his cheerleaders to it.

25 APRIL: To Livingston for canvassing but didn’t get a good response. I fear we will lose Livingston heavily.

26 APRIL: I watched Miliband and Boris Johnston on the Marr show this morning. Miliband was quite good – he was confident, passionate and answered all questions well; announcing three year tenancies with controls on rent increases – all good stuff. The Tories are attacking the policy saying it would be similar to the bombing of our cities during the war.

Then we had Boris playing up to his loveable buffoon crap. He really is the world’s worst actor, so why can’t people see through the bullshit? Miliband has him on toast over the issues of non doms and their tax status.

To Bathgate Chapel for my niece Millie’s confirmation. It was a really nice service with Archbishop Cushley, who spoke very well and came across as a decent and down to earth man.

An opinion poll out today has Labour on one seat. What on earth is going on? I am trying to give a realistic prediction and want to say we will win five seats but each time I try to name them I can’t.

27 APRIL: Spent all day in bed with sickness and upset stomach – felt awful. I don’t get ill very often and am very, very rarely off work but when I get ill I am not a good patient and am best left to feel sorry for myself alone until I get better.

28 APRIL: To Bathgate Balbardie Park for International Workers Memorial Day event. Robert Mooney from the community union spoke on behalf of the STUC general council. I spoke on the issue of blacklisting and health and safety. A lot of local trade union activists were present. Of course, since there is an election on, the two SNP candidates appeared, despite having never been there previously.

I really am having difficulty fathoming our election strategy. It appears they are trying to present the situation as a straight choice between Jim or Nicola and no one else is to get a look in. No shadow spokespeople leading on key issues. This is McTernan’s master strategy. So we have Sturgeon being mobbed in Sauchiehall Street like Elvis, while Murphy can’t go to his local petrol station at one in the morning for a pint of milk without being called a ‘Red Tory’. Yes, that sounds like a real masterstroke.

29 APRIL: In Parliament and bumped into a senior Shadow Cabinet member, who told me one poll out today had us on zero seats and 20 per cent of the vote. She looked absolutely shattered. There are daily battles within the party, especially with McTernan. Internal polling is grim.

I attended a demonstration against TTIP; around 800 people there, and then spoke in a debate on MS. Given what is going on in the party, I better get thinking about what I do after the election on 7 May.

30 APRIL: To the last FMQs before the election. All party leaders asked about a second referendum and falling literacy rates in schools. I then hosted a members’ business debate on the living wage, which was pretty uneventful to be honest.

1 MAY: I didn’t attend the last Labour election rally in Glasgow tonight but it appears Clerkin and a band of his crazy followers were there jostling women with children and young people going in. Kids were crying and it all got ugly with shouts of scum, traitors etc.

2 MAY: To Broxburn for final street stall – both Labour and SNP out in numbers.

My brother John’s stag do tonight so out for a curry with his pals and then back to the pub for drinks – really good to see lots of his mates together for the first time in years.

3 MAY: To the miners’ welfare for the annual fundraiser for Survivors of Bereavement and Suicide. Brilliant event with around 300 there to hear the cream of local talent. Raised around £5,000.

4 MAY: I didn’t see the leaders’ debate tonight but apparently Sturgeon said if a Labour budget didn’t suit her she would vote it down. There you have it loud and clear. The SNP would vote with the Tories against a Labour budget!

Got a text from Alex Rowley asking me to meet Gordon Brown tomorrow when I am over in Fife campaigning for my mate Kenny Selbie, who is standing to succeed Gordon in Kirkcaldy. I wonder what it’s all about.

Leafleting in Stoneyburn with Kevin Lindsay, who had just come from a canvass session in Livingston which was awful. I feel sorry for our candidate, Graeme Morrice, as he has been a diligent MP and was a good councillor for decades before that.

I see the ‘Scottish Resistance’ were out today in Glasgow giving Murphy and Eddie Izzard a hard time. Apparently they were tipped off by Sturgeon’s press officer Campbell Gunn. I also hear the ‘Resistance’ leader is called Piers Doughty-Brown. Always thought revolutionaries and resistance leaders had names like Che, Fidel or Hugo. Piers Doughty-Brown disnae quite cut it I’m afraid!

5 MAY: To Kirkcaldy in the pouring rain to campaign for our candidate Kenny Selbie. Every time I go up to help I feel worse. Kenny is a top bloke and great candidate but you can sense the tide is rapidly going out and there is nothing we can do to prevent it but put on a brave face.

After canvassing Alex, Gordon and I went to the Parkland Hotel for a curry lunch and a very interesting and wide-ranging chat. I have only briefly spoken to Brown before and it was small talk but this was serious political discussion. He is worried about the election and the fall-out from it for Scotland and the UK. He wants to develop thinking on the future of the UK and the intellectual case for the UK remaining together and Labour to lead in Scotland. He wants us to attack poverty and inequality and argue for full employment and quite remarkably wants us to expose the failings of neo-liberalism. I just wish he had done that more when he and Blair were in power. He said he had to support Murphy for leader as he had previously been in his Shadow Cabinet (poor argument) but that he was all over the place on policy and couldn’t carry a consistent message. He said he agreed with much (not all) of what I put forward in the leadership election but he now wanted me to work with people I might not usually work with. I gave as good as I got in the discussion and challenged him on a number of things, and urged him to use his contacts to help us rebuild the party. Reading between the lines, I think there was some coded language in there, but I might just need an enigma machine to crack what was being said.

6 MAY: At FMQs I asked Sturgeon about her relationship with INEOS, the company that wants to frack gas across the central belt. Sturgeon was uncomfortable with this and there is no doubt we have much more to come.

7 MAY: It’s General Election day so I’m out leafleting very early in Broxburn, Seafield, Blackburn, Stoneyburn and Fauldhouse. Huge effort put in all day and there is a high turnout in good weather.

Afterwards we went for our traditional ‘close of poll’ pint in Bathgate before heading to Balbardie Sports Centre for the count. As the boxes were opened the scale of our defeat was immediately apparent. We won the East Calder box, drew in Fauldhouse, and lost every other box in the Livingston constituency. Seat after seat fell across Scotland. Kenny lost Kirkcaldy by 10 per cent on a 35 per cent swing against us. The dominoes started to topple. Danny Alexander, Ian Davidson, Jim Sheridan, Katy Clark and Douglas Alexander all lost. Michael Connarty lost (and gave a very dignified speech) and of course Murphy lost. In the end the SNP won every seat except three: Murray for Labour, Mundell for the Tories and Carmichael for the Liberals. Across the UK, Cameron is back in with a majority.

I said to Graham Hope, chief executive of the council, that now that the Tories had won, and the SNP will dominate Scotland, he would now be implementing turbo-charged austerity and cuts to services – and his face said it all.

I could weep today, although not for my party or my friends and colleagues who have lost seats (which is bad enough), but for the poor, the disabled, the elderly and those who rely on public services. More jobs will go, education standards will fall, food bank queues will grow, social care will deteriorate and our communities will splinter. The post-rational politics in the aftermath of the referendum will see divisions grow as people maintain allegiance to one side or the other, dismissing fact as propaganda and for that we will all lose out. Miliband will resign and be replaced by another bland middle-of-the-road New Labourish type; Cameron will be put under huge pressure from UKIP and his right wing, and Sturgeon will push for another referendum. I, of course, dodged the biggest bullet ever by losing the leadership election.

8 MAY: Awoke to see Miliband has resigned. Clegg has gone too, as Lib Dems almost wiped out.

Listened in to a conference call by Murphy at 9.30am, where he insisted he would be staying on. He said at the election he would retain 41 seats and win East Dunbartonshire, but he retained one, lost his own and every other, and now wants to stay on – it’s nonsense. I was so stunned I said nothing. Afterwards I sat gathering my thoughts. I cannot be part of this anymore. I have to be free to express my views on how we rebuild and can’t do this from within the Shadow Cabinet. I spoke to Fiona, Tommy and my brother-in-law, Jim about it: I will resign tomorrow. I don’t have any other choice.

9 MAY: Up early and drafted a resignation statement, which I shared with Tommy. Called Jim Murphy but there was no reply so I left a message. Took lots of calls, texts, Facebook messages all urging Jim to go. I spoke to a few close colleagues and told them I was going to resign, and all were supportive. At 3pm I got a call from Jim. I told him I was going to resign and talked him through why – poor strategy, McTernan, the campaign’s failings, political issues, lack of authenticity and leadership style. I said I could only play my part in rebuilding the party from out-with the Shadow Cabinet. He responded by saying I was doing this at 3pm on a Saturday to get maximum publicity and that it was a pincer movement between me and Unite – complete bollocks on both counts!

I put out the statement and later that day ASLEF and Unite called on Murphy to go.

Went out with Tommy and Diane and Norrie and Phyllis for a few drinks – feeling quite liberated.

10 MAY: Up early for the papers. Cameron busy filling his cabinet with right wingers. Awful.

Took lots of phone calls from people who reckon Jim has to resign.