We’re geared up for an election

The Scottish Labour leader says his party remains“on an election footing”as the UK government continues work on the Brexit deal.

Mr Leonard said:“I wouldn’t rule out completely the possibility of a general election before the end of this year.

“I think the Tory government’s handling of the Brexit negotiations has been chaotic. There’s a strong likelihood in my view that when they bring the deal back to the UK Parliament it will be insufficient to command the support of the House of Commons – including people on their own benches.

“If the Brexit deal David Davis, Theresa May and Boris Johnson come back with doesn’t command support, I think that would precipitate a constitutional crisis. Theresa May would be forced to call an election to determine who runs the country and what the terms of any deal should be.”

This year is the first since 2013 without an election taking place in Scotland.

Mr Leonard added:“We’re getting good feedback. I think people are more and more open to a conversation with the party again and are looking for a reason to come back to Labour.

“We need to give them a strong reason to do it. The onus is absolutely on us and on me as leader, and the more distinctive and more recognisably Labour we are, the more likely we are to attract people back.

“We need to be confident and principled as a party, and to be hopeful and positive.”