Richard Leonard: Scottish Labour leader clings on despite own MSPs demanding he quit
An ex-MP says "things have gone from bad to significantly worse", but the incumbent accuses critics of starting an "internal war".
Wednesday 2 September 2020 21:38, UK
Scottish Labour's embattled leader is hanging on despite being hit by a resignation and multiple MSPs demanding he quit, as the party trails third in the polls.
Richard Leonard has insisted he will stay on to fight next year's Holyrood elections and criticised "disgruntled" colleagues who want him to step down now.
James Kelly resigned as Scottish Labour's justice spokesperson earlier this week, saying it was in the party's "best interests" for a new leader to take over.
Meanwhile, North East Scotland MSP Jenny Marra told the Times newspaper that if the party does "not change course now, we risk catastrophe".
Their calls were backed by fellow MSP Daniel Johnson, who said: "It is not easy speaking out, but my colleagues Jenny Marra and James Kelly have done the right thing.
"It is time to recognise the situation we are in and for Richard to step down."
Former Scottish Labour MP Ged Killen added his voice to the calls, saying while Mr Leonard was an "honest, decent man", under his leadership "things have gone from bad to significantly worse".
Mr Killen, who lost his Westminster parliament seat in December, added: "Every party member I speak to is in despair. He must now do the decent thing and resign."
Labour is currently third in the opinion polls in Scotland, behind both the SNP and the Tories.
Mr Leonard said the attacks on him were coming from those who "never supported my leadership" and accused them of trying to "wage an internal war".
"If any party representative thinks an internal faction fight is more important than this agenda, they will have to answer to the party members and the voters whom we serve," he added.
A spokesperson for Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the UK-wide Labour Party, said he and Mr Leonard had "a very good working relationship" but that it was "a matter for Scottish Labour".
Labour's performance is seen as an important counter-weight to the Conservatives in Holyrood because they both oppose Scottish independence despite key differences on most other major policies.
If the Scottish National Party see their seats surge, the prospect of Scotland breaking away from the rest of the UK could be closer to becoming reality.