Labour names new team... and Kezia takes a back seat

KEZIA Dugdale and her former deputy Alex Rowley have not been offered places in new Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard’s frontbench team.

The former leader opted not serve in the top team after causing controversy by taking three weeks off to appear on I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!.

Mr Rowley, who confirmed at the weekend that he was standing down as deputy leader following an investigation into claims of harassment by a former partner, was also not named. Mr Leonard, who finally unveiled his top team yesterday just over a month after becoming leader, said the pair had both decided that ‘they did not want a frontline role’ at this time.

He also caused controversy by unveiling Lothians MSP Neil Findlay, who previously admitted to being a reluctant Remain voter in the EU referendum, as his Brexit spokesman, amid continuing uncertainty about Labour’s position on Brexit at Westminster.

Asked about Mr Rowley and Miss Dugdale yesterday, he said: ‘I met with both Alex and Kezia and we decided that they didn’t want to play a frontline role at this time in the Labour Party.’

It is understood Miss Dugdale did not ask for any role within the party, in line with previous leaders Iain Gray and Johann Lamont, who both joined the backbenches after they stepped down. However, she is said to be upset about the appointment of Mr Findlay as Brexit spokesman.

Despite losing the leadership race, Glasgow MSP Anas Sarwar held on to his health spokesman role.

Mr Leonard gave the communities and equalities and poverty and inequalities briefs to his own supporters, Monica Lennon and Elaine Smith.

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Jackson Carlaw said of the new team: ‘This is a cabinet of cronies, with all those who supported Leonard in the leadership race being handed a senior role.’