by christian Wright

Political career over, reputation in ruins, and no degree. Melt Jim Murphy down and you’d have 13 stone of brassneck and a few trace elements.

No matter what tests you ran on the residual, you’d never find evidence of an ethic or moral scruple.

A bit disingenuous for STV to ask Murphy to clear up the “confusion”. There is no confusion. Miliband, Balls, and, Umunna, have made it perfectly clear that Scotland will face cuts, and that Jim has absolutely no voice in the matter.

That is to say, that contrary to the line we have been fed, Labour in Scotland are not autonomous, and Jim Murphy is a mid-ranking apparatchik with no more power than any other branch manager.

The only questions remaining are:

1. Is it remotely credible that Murphy did not know Scotland would face further cuts after year 2015-2016 (to which the answer is no, it’s not remotely credible), and

2. if he DID know, why did he lie to the Scottish people in the debate, and

3. when will he resign for doing so?

Let’s not beat about the bush here – Jim has been caught telling substantive porkies, and his reputation now lies in ruins. He has been shown the red card by his London bosses and now has to go.