Constituency to back Leonard

Stirling Constituency Labour Party is backing Richard Leonard in the Scottish Leadership election.

Secretary Jennifer Preston confirmed members had held a “lively and friendly debate” over whether Mr Leonard or rival Anas Sarwar should succeed Kezia Dugdale at the helm of the party north of the border.

Results of the poll are due to be announced in Glasgow on Saturday . All Individual members of the Labour Party have a vote in the poll.

Ms Preston added: “We voted to lend our support to Richard Leonard but no matter the result at the weekend, Scotland works best when Labour is in the driving seat and in Richard Leonard and Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour Party has two strong contenders to take us back into power at Holyrood and to take on the Tories and their hugely damaging austerity agenda.”

Three of Stirling’s four Labour councillors – Chris Kane, Danny Gibson and Margaret Brisley – are backing Mr Leonard while their party colleague, Provost Christine Simpson has expressed support for Mr Sarwar.

Yorkshire-born Richard Leonard (55) was elected to the Scottish Parliament in May last year. Before that, he was for 30 years an Organiser for the GMB trade union and represented workers in the manufacturing industry and public services across Central Scotland.

Mr Leonard attended Stirling University and was for a time a resident of the city. He served as Anne McGuire’s election agent in the 1997 General Election.

Glasgow-born Mr Sarwar (34) has been MSP for the Glasgow region since the May last year having previously served as MP for Glasgow Central from 2010 to 2015. He was Deputy Leader of the Scottish Labour from 2011–2014.