• UK
  • World
    • USA
  • Entertainment
    • Celeb
    • Showbiz
    • Magazine
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Gaming
  • Tech
  • Science
    • Education
  • Insurance
  • Business
  • Auto
  • ToS/Contact
    • ToS
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
NewsExplored
  • UK
  • World
    • USA
  • Entertainment
    • Celeb
    • Showbiz
    • Magazine
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Gaming
  • Tech
  • Science
    • Education
  • Insurance
  • Business
  • Auto
  • ToS/Contact
    • ToS
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • LinkedIn

  • Tumblr

  • RSS

Politics

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard says party still backs him

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard says party still backs him
Newsexplored
3rd September 2020
5
SHARES
ShareTweet
SubscribeRedditGoogleWhatsappStumbleuponPinterestDiggLinkedinTumblrTelegram
Views:
4
Richard LeonardImage copyright Getty Images
Image caption Richard Leonard says that Scottish Labour needs to unite behind him ahead of next year’s election

The Scottish Labour leader has insisted that he still has the backing of the party despite growing calls for him to quit.

Richard Leonard said the party’s best chance in next May’s Scottish Parliament election was for it to “unite behind me”.

Four Scottish Labour MSPs have openly called on Mr Leonard to resign.

Shadow cabinet minister Rachel Reeves has also now said he should “consider his position”.

In an interview with Sky News, Ms Reeves said opinion polls in Scotland were “dire” for Labour despite the party appearing to be neck-and-neck with the Conservatives across the UK as a whole.

The shadow Cabinet Secretary urged Mr Leonard to “consider his position and do what he thinks is right for Scotland and for Scottish Labour”.

  • Fourth MSP calls for Scottish Labour leader to quit

A spokesman for UK Labour leader Keir Starmer said on Wednesday that the issue was one for Scottish Labour, and insisted that the two leaders had a “very good working relationship”.

Mr Leonard said Ms Reeves was not a member of Scottish Labour.

He told BBC Radio’s Good Morning Scotland: “I am elected by members of the Scottish Labour Party. That is who I’m accountable to.

“They elected me back in 2017 to lead the Scottish Labour Party into the May 2021 Scottish Parliament elections. That is what I am on course to do.”

Image copyright Getty Images
Image caption Labour MP Rachel Reeves said Scottish opinion polls were “dire” for the party

Mr Leonard said he had received “a huge number of messages of support” from across the party and trade unions.

data-ad-format="auto">

He added: “I am confident that I’ve got the backing of the members of the Scottish Labour Party who elected me just under three years ago to lead this party.”

James Kelly resigned as Scottish Labour’s justice spokesman earlier this week, saying he had no confidence in Mr Leonard’s leadership.

Social security spokesman Mark Griffin has also quit, with backbenchers Jenny Marra and Daniel Johnson adding their voices to calls for Mr Leonard to go.

Image copyright Getty Images
Image caption Me Leonard is seen as a close ally of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn

Mr Leonard took over the leadership from Kezia Dugdale in 2017, and was seen as being close to then-UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.


But there have been concerns about his performance from some senior party figures ever since.

Opinion polls suggest Scottish Labour is trailing a distant third behind the SNP and Scottish Conservatives ahead of the election next May.

Skip Twitter post by @NeilFindlay_MSP

The same people who are demanding @LabourRichard resigns are the ones who told us that Better Together was a huge success story for Labour and that Jim Murphy was the salvation of the Party – they have been repeatedly wrong and are wrong again – it’s treachery with a snarl.

— Neil Findlay MSP (@NeilFindlay_MSP) September 2, 2020

End of Twitter post by @NeilFindlay_MSP

The party slumped to fifth in last year’s European elections after winning just 9.3% of the votes – down from 26% in the previous election in 2014 – and lost all but one of its seats in last year’s general election.

And there are fears from pro-UK campaigners that another poor performance by Labour in next year’s Holyrood election would increase the chances of the SNP winning a majority.

Mr Leonard said he had inherited a party in third place and did not underestimate the scale of the challenge it faced, but that he had “faith in the values that we stand for and I’ve got faith in the policy ideas that we will offer the people”.

He added: “I think the political environment is changing because of the pandemic, I think people are re-evaluating their priorities.

“I am sure as people get nearer to the election next year they will understand that the next five years, the next Scottish government and the next Scottish Parliament’s priorities will need to be on recovering the economy, tackling the jobs crisis and investing in public services like our National Health Service.

“I am convinced that when we get closer to the election and the policy agenda is defined, more and more [people] will turn to the Scottish Labour Party.”

Mr Leonard has been backed by Scottish Labour figures including MSP Neil Findlay, who is also on the left of the party.

Mr Findlay tweeted that the colleagues who were calling for Mr Leonard’s head were “pathetic” and guilty of “treachery with a snarl”.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Share on Skype (Opens in new window)

Related

Related Itemslabourleaderleonardpartyrichardscottishstill
Politics
3rd September 2020
Newsexplored @newsexploredweb

Related Itemslabourleaderleonardpartyrichardscottishstill

More in Politics

  • Read More
    Covid-19: Northern Ireland’s R-rate ‘falls significantly’

    Views:4 image copyrightPA Media image captionMichelle O’Neill and Arlene Foster appeared at their first joint press conference...

    Newsexplored 3rd September 2020
  • Read More
    Brexit: ‘Problems’ in first week of post-deal GB-NI trade

    Views:4 By Conor MacauleyBBC NI Agriculture & Environment Correspondent image copyrightReuters image captionThe first lorries to cross...

    Newsexplored 3rd September 2020
  • Read More
    Covid-19: Stormont to give clarity on restrictions and exams

    Views:4 image copyrightReuters Ministers are to explain their decision to tighten Covid-19 restrictions in Northern Ireland at...

    Newsexplored 3rd September 2020
  • Read More
    Brexit: Boris Johnson’s claims about its benefits fact-checked

    Views:4 By Reality Check teamBBC News Published 1 hour ago Related Topics image copyrightReuters Boris Johnson was...

    Newsexplored 3rd September 2020
  • Read More
    Brexit: How European leaders reacted to EU-UK trade deal

    Views:4 media captionEuropean Commission announces ‘fair’ post-Brexit trade deal A post-Brexit trade deal has been agreed between...

    Newsexplored 3rd September 2020
  • Read More
    Brexit: Five steps that led to an Irish Sea border

    Views:4 By John CampbellBBC News NI Economics & Business Editor image captionBorder control posts have been set...

    Newsexplored 3rd September 2020
  • Read More
    Brexit: Will the borders be ready?

    Views:4 By Chris MorrisReality Check correspondent, BBC News image copyrightReuters With only days left until the end...

    Newsexplored 3rd September 2020
  • Read More
    Covid: Alcohol ban for Welsh pubs and restaurants from Friday

    Views:4 Published 14 minutes ago Related Topics image copyrightGetty Images image captionPubs will have to close to...

    Newsexplored 3rd September 2020
  • Read More
    What’s going on with Scottish independence?

    Views:4 By Nick EardleyBBC political correspondent image copyrightPA Media Scottish independence is back in the headlines and...

    Newsexplored 3rd September 2020
  • Read More
    Spending Review: Key points from Rishi Sunak’s statement

    Views:4 image copyrightReuters Chancellor Rishi Sunak has set out what the UK government will spend on health,...

    Newsexplored 3rd September 2020
  • Read More
    Fans at sporting events: Maximum of 4,000 set to be allowed in England

    Views:4 A crowd of 1,060 supporters watched Northern Ireland play Slovakia in their Euro 2020 play-off final...

    Newsexplored 3rd September 2020
  • Read More
    Coronavirus-hit sports to benefit from £300m emergency funding rescue package

    Views:4 Leeds Rhinos and Catalans Dragons played at an empty Halliwell Jones Stadium in Warrington in November...

    Newsexplored 3rd September 2020
Scroll for more
Tap
data-ad-format="auto">
NewsExplored

NewsExplored - Making sure all the latest news is explored?

Contact us for help

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • Comments

  • New coronavirus variant: What do we know?
    UK20th December 2020
  • Trump pardons two convicted by Russia investigation
    USA23rd December 2020
  • Kieran Trippier suspended for 10 weeks over breaches of betting rules
    Sports23rd December 2020
  • The Papers: UK and EU on ‘verge’ of Brexit trade deal
    UK23rd December 2020
  • Trump impeachment: When will he go on trial in the Senate?
    USA16th January 2021
  • Joe Biden unveils $1.9tn US economic relief package
    USA15th January 2021
  • How much can Joe Biden get done on the US economy?
    USA14th January 2021
  • Could Liz Cheney spark a revolt?
    USA13th January 2021
  • Les Rehrer says:

    Hello Its me :P and thanks for this post

  • optumrx login says:

    Thank For News.

  • Kent Laatsch says:

    Please let me know if you're looking for a writer…

  • Bob says:

    RT News was where I learned that Erdogan controlled isis.…

Copyright © 2018 Top News Theme. Theme by MVP Themes, powered by Wordpress.

Coronavirus: Charity seeks judicial review on care home visit guidance
Tony Abbott: Ministers defend ex-Australian PM over Brexit trade role
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok