No clear favourite among the leadership runners and riders
While Richard Leonard looks determined to cling on as Scottish Labour leader, who are his likely challengers three years on from his election?
A lot of the pressure will be on Jackie Baillie, his deputy, elected to the role in April beating Glasgow councillor Matt Kerr, whom Mr Leonard was backing for the post.
Described just this week by Nicola Sturgeon as her“fiercest critic ”, the Dumbarton MSP is one of only two Labour politicians who has actually served in government. She has twice been acting leader of the party, but was sacked from the front bench team by Mr Leonard in 2018, along with Anas Sar war, as the leader moved to get rid of his own“fiercest critics” within the Labour Holyrood group. She has said nothing publicly about the calls for Mr Leonard to go, and is believed not to be prepared to run against him. If he were to stand down, however, she could well take over the reins until after the Holyrood elections next year.
Anas Sarwar has also kept his head dowm in the wake of James Kelly’s resignation. The party’s former health spokesman, he was roundly beaten by Richard Leonard for the top job in 2017 and may not have the stomach to give it another go, despite many of his colleagues urging him to do so.
Ian Murray’s name is never far away when speculation about Scottish Labour leaders is rife. The only Labour MP who held on to his seat during the 2015 S NP land slide and then last December’ s collapse in Labour’s vote, he seems to have the knack for winning round the voters of Edinburgh South.
Now shadow Scottish secretary, he would seem an obvious choice for some – but not being in Holyrood would be grist to the mill of those who believe Scottish Labour is treated like a branch office by the UK party. He’s also just become a dad for the first time, so might not have the energy for a challenge.
One contender could be Monica Lennon, the current health spokesperson. She supported Mr Leonard for leader, but has seen her closest ally, former MP Ged Killen, come out against him. It could persuade her the time is right.