Short term memo-ry.

Yesterday, Mr Smith commented on the reported leak of a "secret memo"criticising the Scottish Labour Party's recent Scottish Parliament election campaign. A memo which was written by former Scottish Executive Special Adviser Adrian Colwell.

Today, Mr Smith notes that the Labour Party has not been slow to attack the memo with a story in today's Scotsman distancing the Party from the criticism, indeed some rather strong language is used in relation to the position of Mr Colwell in the 'dog days' of the last Scottish Executive.

Expressions like, "George Foulkes, a Labour MSP, said the memo was "totally irrelevant", adding: "He [Mr Colwell] had a relatively peripheral part in the campaign." And "... a source close to Mr McConnell said Mr Colwell was "out of touch" in the latter days of Mr McConnell's term as first minister, with more involvement with the Liberal Democrat camp. He said: "[The memo] is Adrian Colwell's personal reflections and not borne out by reality in any way." "

Reminds Mr Smith of the old adage: methinks they doth protest too much. But these comments beg the obvious points. Mr Colwell was recruited to join the Scottish Executive in 2002 and remained with them until the dissolution of the last Executive administration in 2007. He was recruited as a Labour Special Adviser, and served at the pleasure of the First Minister. If he was so "out of touch" with what Executive Ministers were thinking then why didn't they remove him long before the election, and if his judgement was so off kilter why was the taxpayer still picking up the tab for his salary when at least some of the advice he was offering was "not borne out be reality in any way"?

Its worth also noting that in 2002 in commenting on the members of Team McConnell, the Scotsman refered to Mr Colwell as being part of a "circle of supportive lieutenants ... [to whom McConnell] will turn frequently." Very out of touch then.