LEONARD LEFT IN THE LURCH
MSP quits and tells him he’s hopeless
A KEY member of Richard Leonard’s shadow cabinet has quit and urged him to stand down as Scottish Labour leader.
James Kelly, who was his party’s justice spokesman, resigned last night after saying Leonard had not taken the party forward.
In a brutal resignation letter, Kelly said: “I have no confidence in your ability to shape the party’s message, strategy and organisation.
“I know that this is a view shared by other parliamentarians, party members and indeed many members of the public.”
Leonard is under huge pressure after presiding over a dismal set of results since succeeding Kezia Dugdale.
Scottish Labour slumped to fifth at the European election and lost six of their seven seats at the general election. Colleagues have also been frustrated by his per formances in the Holyrood chamber. Glasgow MSP Kelly told Leonard at a private meeting last month that he should stand down.
He has now resigned from the shadow cabinet team and urged Leonard to quit.
His letter added: “It is in the best interests of the party that you stand down.”
A furious Leonard said last night: “It is deeply disappointing that disgruntled MSPs who never supported my leadership would choose the day when the Scottish Government accepted a Labour policy demand of 10 years – for a National Care Service – to try and wage an internal war.
“If any party representative thinks an internal faction fight is more important than our agenda, they will have to answer to the party members and the voters whom we serve.”