New deputy leader of Scottish Labour in talks over council role

Scottish Labour’s new deputy leader is in talks with party chiefs in Fife about whether she can stay on as a councillor.

Lesley Laird, also a Fife MP and the shadow Scottish secretary, has faced calls to step down from the council since winning her Westminster seat last year.

Roger Mullin, who held the Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath seat for the SNP before Ms Laird, has said it is “ridiculous” she is trying to be both an MP and a councillor.

Ms Laird said yesterday: “In light of today’s confirmation I am now in discussions with our local party on the way ahead and I expect to be in a position to make an announcement shortly.”

Earlier, she was unveiled as Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard’s deputy during a speech in which he predicted Jeremy Corbyn will sweep to power in a snap general election triggered by Westminster voting down the Brexit deal.

Mr Leonard also promised high levels of government intervention in the economy under a Corbyn administration in a Glasgow speech.

The former union organiser said the Conservative final deal on Brexit will “almost certainly be voted down in parliament”. Mr Leonard added: “At which point I think there will be a constitutional crisis which will, in turn, pave the way for a UK general election.

“That general election, I will be confident I would want to see Jeremy Corbyn returned as prime minister and Lesley Laird returned as secretary of state for Scotland.”

Ms Laird said councils have seen their powers “sucked into Holyrood”, adding: “I want that to change.”

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard in Glasgow