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Scottish Labour leadership race begins

Inside Labour ScotlandThe Scottish Labour Party Leadership nominations have now closed with no unexpected candidates.

For the Leader, Kezia Dugdale has an almost clean sweep of those able to nominate, with Ken Macintosh only just reaching the minimum of seven nominations. She had some strong lines at her campaign launch positioning Scottish Labour as the “anti-establishment voice” in Scottish politics. She said: “Scotland needs a strong opposition that asks tough questions, not a one-party state where every institution and every cause is linked to just one political party.”

Her support has come from all sections of the party because she is viewed as a unity candidate with a more collegiate approach to leadership – in party that has seen what havoc a ‘presidential’ style leadership can cause. This is likely to be reflected in the supporting nominations from trade unions and CLPs. Continue reading →

Report of yesterday’s Scottish Labour executive

Inside Labour ScotlandJim Murphy’s last day at the office resulted in the predictable media spin over substance, but in fairness any shortcoming in his ‘report’ was entirely appropriate.

Jim’s report on Scottish Labour’s political future was neither a report nor did it have very much to do with Scottish Labour’s political future. It was a series of papers on some internal mechanisms, not the political strategy we need to go forward. Not even a look at the bigger constitutional changes that the party needs to consider such as a more federal or even independent Scottish Labour Party. That’s not a criticism, because the party doesn’t need another quick fix and it’s not Jim’s role as the outgoing leader to offer that vision. Continue reading →

On the resignation of Jim Murphy

revscotlogoThe following statement was published yesterday on Revitalise Scottish Labour, the website associated with the trade union left in Scotland and Scottish Labour activists involved in the Campaign for Socialism

Today’s Scottish Executive (SEC) was, to put it mildly, something out of the ordinary.

The meeting was presented with a report on the general election that focused on the organisational aspects of the campaign. However, it swiftly moved on to concerns about the political message and of course the leadership, when a motion of no confidence in Jim Murphy as Scottish Labour Leader was proposed and seconded by representatives from the trade union and constituency party sections. Continue reading →

Labour’s new MPs call for party to ditch New Labour and oppose austerity

austerity-isnt-working-ngl-e1330370859488Ten newly-elected first-time Labour MPs this morning issued a call for the party to take on a bold anti-austerity agenda:

Having arrived in Westminster as newly-elected Labour MPs after speaking to tens of thousands of voters during our election campaigns, we know how important it is for the future of our Party to move forward with an agenda that best serves the everyday needs of people, families and communities and that is prepared to challenge the notion of austerity and invest in public services. Continue reading →