Labour Party hopefuls both claim they are ‘change candidates’

Both Scottish Labour leadership candidates have claimed to be the “change candidates” in the race.

During a joint interview with the BBC, Anas Sarwar and Monica Lennon spoke of the need for the party to change to avoid electoral failure in May’s Holyrood election.

Ms Lennon described the party as “a bit broken”, pointing to decisions on disciplinary issues, such as the case of the nine Aberdeen councillors who were suspended after forming a coalition with the Conservatives.

Writing in the Daily Record last January, Ms Lennon said the Scottish Labour Party would need to undertake “epic changes” and potentially split with its UK counterpart to ensure it did not hit “rock bottom”.

Yesterday she said: “I stand by the comments about ‘epic change’, that’s why I’m standing to be the change candidate in this contest.”

Just minutes later, Mr Sarwar laid claim to the moniker as well.

“I am the change candidate in this election,” he said.

“I wasn’t part of the continuity of the last few years.”

Mr Sarwar was recently appointed the party’s constitution spokesperson while Ms Lennon has held the health portfolio since 2018, when she replaced her opponent.

When asked if she still believed the Scottish party should be a separate party, Ms Lennon said: “No, I think there’s a way forward.”

Mr Sarwar said: “I want Keir Starmer to be the prime minister of the UK, I will respect him, I’ll help him in that goal, but I’ll never be afraid to tell him it like it is, tell him when he’s wrong and to stand up for Scotland.”

Anas Sarwar and Monica Lennon.