Scotland seemed to be exempt from such problems until the untimely death of Donald Dewar last year triggered panic in Downing Street. With union votes and heavy arm-twisting by the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, Mr McLeish beat off a challenge by Jack McConnell.Critics have claimed that the politicians in the devolved assemblies are simply not good enough for high office. Acutely aware of such accusations, Mr Blair instructed his spokesman yesterday to reassure the public. "Tony Blair believes that devolution has been an enormous success Devolution is working," the spokesman said Whether the voters agree remains to be seen..
Jack McConnel, the Education Minister who challenged Henry McLeish for the Labour leadership a year ago, is now the favourite to succeed him. Jack McConnel, the Education Minister who challenged Henry McLeish for the Labour leadership a year ago, is now the favourite to succeed him.The former maths teacher inherited a difficult brief as Education Minister after he was defeated in the race to succeed Donald Dewar and is credited with rescuing Scotland's failing exams system. He has achieved recognition for his attempts to increase teacher recruitment and improve pay and conditions.Although the MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw has little experience of top-level politics, he is a confident performer in Parliament.But his career has not been untainted by allegations of sleaze. For a short time, he was public affairs consultant with the lobbying firm Beattie Media, which was involved in a high-profile scandal over allegations that it offered to secure clients preferential access to Scottish ministers.Mr McConnell is expected to be challenged by Wendy Alexander, the Scottish Enterprise Minister, an enthusiastic New Labourite and close ally of Gordon Brown..
Henry McLeish may have missed out to Donald Dewar as the first leader of the new Scotland, but yesterday he assured his own immortality by becoming the first leader to resign over a political scandal. Henry McLeish may have missed out to Donald Dewar as the first leader of the new Scotland, but yesterday he assured his own immortality by becoming the first leader to resign over a political scandal.When he was elected to the post in October 2000, Mr McLeish stood before the Scottish Parliament and declared: "This is a very great privilege. Thanks for the honour, I won't let you down."More than 12 months later, those same colleagues who elevated the miner's son from Fife to the most powerful post in the country are reeling from his sudden resignation.Mr McLeish's troubles started on 1 April when reports appeared suggesting that the law firm Digby Brown had paid £4,000 a year since 1998 to rent part of his constituency office in Glenrothes. The reports alleged it was a breach of parliamentary rules as Mr McLeish, then Labour MP for Central Fife, failed to register the income while continuing to claim his full expenses entitlement.As a veteran politician who had worked his way up from local politics in the early 1970s, he should have known better, his critics claimed.At Westminster, he had been spokesman for transport, health and social security and played a leading role in shaping devolution and the ideals of an open and accountable Scottish parliament.But he seemed to have forgotten these ideals when he said that the expenses issue had been resolved by Elizabeth Filkin, Westminster's commissioner for standards.In fact, his case had been investigated by the parliamentary fees office, which agreed that there had been an "error". Both parties reached a mutual agreement that Mr McLeish should repay £9,000.Unfortunately, the explanation did not reveal how the £9,000 figure had been calculated.
