Airdrie candidate

Dear Editor,

I see that the Airdrie & Shotts Labour party recently selected Central Scotland list MSP and Scottish branch leader Richard Leonard as their candidate for the next Holyrood election [Advertiser, September 4].

Mr Leonard is a particularly uninspiring figure and encapsulates Labour’s general lack of vision for Scotland in general.

The grey man of Scottish politics has used his links with the trade union movement to latch onto every possible industrial dispute in an effort to attack the Scottish Government, even in those which don’t concern them, exploiting grey areas to create distrust and division.

Similarly, on Brexit, they try to operate in the muddy political waters, offering everything to everyone.

Mr Leonard tweeted on September 4 that “Scottish Labour will campaign day and night ... for a Remain victory”. I’m sure that as branch leader he is fully aware that UK Labour policy is to deliver Brexit, but with their deal, not Theresa May’s.

The Scottish branch of Labour has been slapped down by London before, and will be again – they aren’t allowed to do their own thing, yet it is increasingly obvious that they need to.

As it stands, UK Labour only offers a sticking plaster to the gaping wound of British politics, a temporary respite between increasingly authoritarian and more right-wing English nationalist Tory governments.

Scottish Labour is riddled with those who would close Holyrood rather than strengthen it and their lack of backbone and vision is doing serious harm to Scotland.

It really is time that Scottish Labour members realised that they stand a far better chance of delivering their policies and creating a better Scotland if they turn their back on divisive British nationalism and get behind independence for Scotland.

They could create a visible example of a better country which would be a beacon for change to our friends in England, blazing a trail to follow.

I only hope that they can be brave enough to realise this and seize the chance while it is still a possibility. The alternatives don’t bear thinking about.

James Cassidy, via email