Starmer in show of support for Leonard

Sir Keir Starmer said he has confidence in Richard Leonard but refused to be drawn on the Scottish Labour leader’s view he is the best man for the job.

On a visit to Scotland, the UK Labour leader was unable to escape the internal row consuming Scottish Labour over Mr Leonard’s leadership.

At a virtual press conference Sir Keir was asked repeatedly about Mr Leonard’s position, after several prominent party figures called on him to quit.

Asked if he had confidence in his Scottish leader, Sir Keir replied: “Yes.”

Sir Keir said: “Richard Leonard won the leadership of Scottish Labour and as the leader in Scotland – me as leader of the Labour Party – we have been working very closely together since I got elected as leader in April of this year.

“So what I am looking forward to is continuing that work with Richard, and this afternoon we will be discussing what we need to do between now and next May, in relation to the election in May. So I’ve got a very good working relationship with Richard and I support Richard.

“I’ll be talking to him about what we need to do over the coming weeks and months to the Labour Party, to restore trust in the Labour Party here in Scotland, and across the United Kingdom.”

Mr Leonard’s leadership came under fire this month when James Kelly and Mark Griffen resigned from his front bench team and called on him to resign. North East MSP Jenny Marra and Lothians MSP Daniel Johnson also said he should go, as did Labour peers Lord Robertson, Baroness Ramsay, Lord Foulkes and Baroness Liddell.

A bid to dislodge him failed at the weekend when a motion of no confidence tabled at the Scottish Executive Committee, the party’s governing body, was withdrawn.

Picture: PA. Sir Keir Starmer gave his under-fire Scottish leader his support.