The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Dugdale would support a federal UK
she had “every faith” in the UK leader.
The Aberdeen-born MSP pointed to his two leadership election wins and insisted he could “absolutely” take Labour to a general election victory.
She added: “What people want to vote for is a united party and I’m fully behind Jeremy Corbyn in his efforts to renew and rebuild the Labour party across the UK – just as I know that he supports my efforts here in Scotland, where I’ve got a long plan to renew the party’s fortunes.”
As the soul-searching began south of the border, delegates at the Scottish conference in Perth debated her vision for a new Kezia Dugdale said there is a “legitimate case” for a federal option on any future independence ballot paper as her party made the constitutional system official policy.
And Scottish Labour members backed their leader’s vision for a more federalised UK as their conference got under way in Perth yesterday.
Ms Dugdale said it was a “historic moment” for the party, which will seek the formation of a “People’s Constitutional Convention” to report back on a federal future for the UK by 2020.
During a debate on the proposals, former party chairman Bill Thomson backed a “fed-max” option on an indyref2 ballot paper.
Responding in a fringe event, Ms Dugdale said: “I Act of Union as part of proposals for a more federal UK.
The party had a better night in the Stoke-on-Trent Central seat where it held off a challenge from Ukip Leader Paul Nuttall.
Mr Corbyn called the win there “a decisive rejection of Ukip’s politics of division and dishonesty”.
But other than saying Labour’s message was “not enough to win through” in Copeland, he was less willing to talk about the defeat.
Fielding questions after a speech on Brexit, Mr Corbyn was asked whether he had “looked in the mirror and asked himself the question: ‘Could the problem actually be me?’”
The Labour leader replied with a simple “no” and – when asked why not – said only: “Thank you for your question.”
Mr McDonnell defended Mr Corbyn, putting the party’s difficulties down to don’t want there to be another referendum, but I could certainly see a legitimate case for – if there were to be a referendum – that you might put something as strong as a federal solution for the UK on the ballot paper.”
The proposals, which would see greater powers leadership challenges and the division these have sown.
Tory Trudy Harrison took the Cumbrian seat, which had been held by Labour since the constituency was formed in 1983, with a majority of 2,147.
Its predecessor con-
“I don’t want there to be another referendum” “A decisive rejection of Ukip’s politics of division and dishonesty
stituency – Whitehaven – had returned Labour MPs since 1935.
It was also the first time a governing party had gained a seat in a vote outside of a general election since 1982.
According to Professor John Curtice, of Strathclyde University, the result was the best by-election performance by a governing party for the UK’s devolved administrations as well as English areas, come after the party has haemorrhaged support to the SNP and the Scottish Conservatives over the constitution.
Ian Murray, Labour’s only MP, said Ms Dugdale’s vision offered a chance to “seize the mantle as the party of federalism”. He added the SNP has “absolutely no mandate for another independence referendum”, which Nicola Sturgeon has said is “highly likely” after the Brexit vote.
SNP MSP Linda Fabiani said Mr Murray is “denying reality” because voters supported the SNP’s manifesto position that independence referendum is an option if Scotland faces being dragged out of the EU against its will.
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said Labour’s “sleep-inducing plan for a People’s Constitutional Convention” amounts to “yet more upheaval to our precious union”.
Alistair Carmichael, the Scottish Liberal Democrat deputy leader, said Labour has finally come round after a “long, slow walk to federalism”.
In her keynote speech, Ms Dugdale will today say a Labour party she leads “will never support independence” – an upgrade to the party’s 2016 manifesto, which said they will reject secession until at least 2021.