Labour’s journey into oblivion will continue

In an utterly depressing development it has emerged that the only two contenders for the leadership of the Scottish Labour Party are Anas Sarwar and Monica Lennon (Scotsman, 18 January). Since the welcome departure of Jack Mcconnell from senior Labour ranks some years ago and, as history will depict, the beginning of the demise of Labour in Scotland, the party has lurched from one ineffectual leader to another which has cumulatively over the years consigned Labour to no more than a fringe party with little or no effect in party politics in Scotland. news of Messrs Sarwar and Lennon as the heir apparent is further and deeply disappointing news for Labour voters in Scotland who surely deserve better. For any serious political observers it is painfully obvious neither possess the attributes, experience or remotely the presence to win back a fraction of the voters looking for a new political home.

No sooner have the party removed Richard Leonard, a decent man but nonetheless someone who made zero impact in politics here, that we find ourselves staring down the barrel of another leadership battle that will ultimately lead to oblivion in political terms.

In terms of Indyref2, this can only be described as a penalty kick for the SNP with the goalkeeper facing in the opposite direction.

Despite the presiding government being in freefall by all sensible measurements, they are still on a home run due to the dismal standard of opposition here in Scotland.

Keir Starmer and his Westminster cohorts will, quite rightly, share the burden of blame and, make no mistake, he is complicit in any decisions of this nature in the wider UK party. As things play out we will witness the unedifying spectacle of a new Labour leader going nowhere fast in Holyrood.

You couldn’t make it up … unless of course you are the Scottish Labour Party. KENNETH MORRISON

Paisley, Renfrewshire