Scottish Labour has announced
Richard Leonard as its new party leader after a bitter battle to succeed
Kezia Dugdale, who resigned from the role in August.
Party members had to choose between centrist Anas Sarwar and his left-wing rival Richard Leonard.The contest has been marred by personal attacks, accusations of plots and claims of underhand voting tactics.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the result could lead to Scottish Labour becoming "a real force for change".
Mr Leonard spoke immediately after the announcement in Glasgow.
He said he hoped a "new generation" would help lead a new movement that was also "founded on our old and enduring idealism".
"That is the unity we can rally around, not simply a call for unity but around a renewed unity of purpose," he said.
"Our purpose today is not just to elect a leader. My aim is to be the next Labour first minister of Scotland."
He has argued that people are "hungry for change", but believes that can only be delivered through "socialism and democracy" rather than "nationalism or patriotism."
And he has firmly ruled out any prospect of a future coalition with the SNP, saying
there will be no ground ceded to nationalism at the expense of progressive socialism under my leadership".
So don't expect any calls for further autonomy for Labour's Scottish Branch or any increase in powers for the Scottish Parliament .
Indeed it looks like Corbyn's "Bungee Manager" will spend his time attacking the SNP even when it is clear they are pushing forward progressive socialism whilst Labour in the Welsh Assembly are content to simply rearange the furniture.
So attacks on the SNP rather than the Tories for not doing enough , whilst not mentioning that in Cymru they do bugger all despite being in power since devolved power began,
Mr Leonard appointment comes just as Scottish Labour’s stand-in leader has been suspended from the party while an investigation is conducted into allegations that he bombarded his former partner with abusive messages during a three-year harassment campaign.
Alex Rowley, the Mid Scotland and Fife MSP, said he “totally” rejected the accusations and would “take all necessary steps to clear my name”. He said that he would step aside as both interim and deputy leader in the meantime.
But Scottish Labour later went further by withdrawing the party whip from him in the Scottish Parliament “in light of the serious nature of the allegations.”
Meanwhile a leading Labour MSP has strongly criticised his former leader for taking part in a reality television show.
Rumours that Ms Dugdale wil emerge from the jungle only to cross the floor and join her current partner on the SNP benches may not be totally out of the question,
Having both your predecessors suspended from the party just as you get your feet under the table may be seen as an opportunity for the Corbynist to purge the Scottish Parliamentary party not only of any lingering Blarites , but also any MSPs who took the "Vow" seriously ,
Can Mr Leonard make the party a credible challenger to the SNP in time for the next Scottish Parliament election in 2021?
On current evidence even surviving in the job that long would be something of an achievement, given that the winner will become the party's fourth leader in little over three years.
We here in Cymru are probably going to see a similar leadership contest sooner than later, we should be looking towards Scotland to see what that mean in the months ahead.
1 comment:
Id be interested to know what corbynistas in wales think of the decision of Labour at westminster to abstain on a plaid cymru motion which would have given Wales a greater say on brexit?
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