Labour are getting their weapons ready to fight May’s Holyrood election.
They’ve picked up their most effective guns. Locked and loaded them with ammunition.
Politicians have strapped them to their shoulders. They are ready to go.
It’s time to take aim and fire – straight into their own collective foot.
Again. And again. And again.
For every time the party looks like taking a step forward it seems to find a way of causing itself to tumble dramatically back to where it started in political snakes and ladders.
Kezia Dugdale did what many have been clamouring for her to do last week and unveiled a positive policy which will be part of Labour’s manifesto next May.
It’s debatable whether or not a bung to first time house buyers will actually be a big boost to the party in the Holyrood election but it showed a glimmer of purpose which had previously been sorely lacking.
But that was overshadowed by the never ending reshuffle at Westminster, for which Jeremy Corbyn is still coming under heavy fire from his own MPs.
Now, following Richard Baker’s decision to quit, the Holyrood ranks will gain an MSP who has publicly criticised the leader.
It is perfectly understandable that Baker should choose to take steady employment over a bumper pay-off when he has already decided to stand down – but it does his party no favours.
Brennan too is in a tough spot as she will barely have any time to make an impact. But being an MSP might boost her chances of returning in May.