Left-wing Scottish Labour candidate Leonard in coded attack on Sarwar over disloyalty to leader

THE left-wing candidate to be Scottish Labour leader has launched a thinly veiled attack on his rival, saying it would have been “a disaster” if plotters had ousted Jeremy Corbyn.

On the second anniversary of Mr Corbyn becoming UK leader, Richard Leonard compared his own loyalty to the leader with those who urged him to quit.

Mr Sarwar was among 13 MSPs to sign an open letter calling for Mr Corbyn to “do the right thing” and consider his position after a revolt by 80 per cent of his MPs. Mr Leonard said he was proud of sticking by the leader when “many called on Jeremy to quit” and it was “necessary to be consistent”.

He added: “We need a Scottish Labour Party in tune with this new movement.”

Mr Leonard, one of three MSPs to condemn the “coup” attempt against Mr Corbyn, said Labour owed its advances at the General Election to the leader’s “radical and engaging programme for change”.

Candidates Anas Sarwar and Richard Leonard.

He said: “I pay tribute to Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership and the way he

has revitalised the party and energised young people.”