Baron McConnell of Inertia

There are reports in Scotland on Sunday that Jack McConnell's ticket out of the Labour Leadership has emerged: entry to the House of Lords. It's felt that McConnell's entry so such an august and demanding institution that George Foulkes place in it rules out the possibility of him taking part in the full work of Holyrood would both quietly move him out of the way and provide a link between Holyrood and Westminster.

How many links do people want? There's the Scotland Secretary, and Foulkes admitted that his job is to keep London informed of what's going on. So this in a way suggests that Foulkes' 'spy' role is about to come to an end, giving more credence to current speculation.

McConnell, meanwhile, could sit next to Foulkes, and indeed, Lord Watson of Invergowrie, McConnell's one-time Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport. And some people are already drooling at the prospect of a By-Election in Motherwell & Wishaw, but I'm not so sure.

One thing does occur, though. Didn't Jack McConnell spend the Election campaign criticising Alex Salmond for 'running away to Westminster'? Perhaps Lord McConnell of Hypocrisy would be a more suitable title.