I’m an England fan, says party leader

THE new leader of the Scottish Labour Party supports England in football and rugby against Scotland, he revealed.

Richard Leonard was born in Yorkshire but went to university in Stirling.

On Saturday, the 5 -year-old former trade union activist was named as the party’s new leader following the resignation of Kezia Dugdale.

In an interview with BBC Radio5Live he was asked by host Adrian Chiles: ‘So what do you do as a politician born in York- shire, the first English-born leader of the Scottish Labour Party – may I ask who you support when England play Scotland at rugby or football?’

After a pause, he replied: ‘Well, if it’s England versus Scotland, I do support England. Every other game I will support either Scotland or England.

‘I’m not going to make up something which would be inaccurate. That’s the honest truth and my wife, who is Scottish, she would bear that out. We watch football together.’ On Twitter Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson wrote: ‘Fair play to him for not ducking this one.’

In the interview, he also said he did not have a favourite reality TV show, saying ‘my life’s too short’, after Miss Dugdale joined ITV’s I’m A Celebrity.

He added: ‘I do think there are opportunities when politicians need to reach out beyond the immediate political circle but I am not persuaded that this is necessarily a case in point.’