Wendy Alexander: I won't resign!

Oh yes you will, but maybe just not yet.

In a laughable statement Wendy Alexander insisted she will not resign, and indeed the Electoral commission will exonerate her of any intentional wrongdoing. Her statement is as follows:

I deeply regret the damage which recent publicity has brought to the Labour party.

However, I reject any suggestion of intentional wrongdoing on my part. I intend to address these matters with the Electoral Commission, with whom I am co-operating fully.

I am confident when all the facts are known I will be exonerated of any intentional wrongdoing.

Well, it will soon be a police inquiry because intent is not in the law it is one of strict liability. She will have to show that they did check it was a permissible donation and frankly I don't think they can do that. It does get worse though. As I said in this post, it is clear that her husband knew the wheels had come off three weeks before she stated she had only just heard about it.

There is much speculation that she has been pressurised into staying on by Gordon Brown's team as her going would cause immense trouble in Westminster, not least for the hapless Harriet Harman who as yet has still failed to declare massive loans used to fund her successful campaign to become Labour deputy leader. It is clear Harriet Harman is in breach of the law and as a former Solicitor General knows she cant claim ignorance as a defence.

Well, it is true that Wendy Alexander resigning now would be a disaster for Labour north and south of the border. Wendy was supposed to be rebuilding Labour in Scotland and to be frank they have few other options out of a very limited talent pool. It would cause immense problems for Labour at Westminster as well. If Harriet goes who is next? Does she know where Gordon Brown has buried the bodies?

The problem is that Wendy Alexander will have to be arrested and questioned under caution and will have to resign at some point so all that is happening is the pain is being drawn out. All the other consequences that Gordon is afraid of will follow any way.

It is not a question of if Wendy Alexander resigns, but when.

The BBC has this.