LEGAL FEARS OVER LEONARD’S DRIVE FOR KEY WORKERS
Labour’s Holyrood list plan hits first hurdle
Scottish Labour’s plan to reserve places on its Holyrood list for female key workers could break discrimination laws.
Leader Richard Leonard wants to take the party back to its working-class roots and increase diversity with the policy.
But leaders have referred the proposals to lawyers over fears writing them into selection rules could be illegal.
Leonard said: “The principle I put forward was about putting a woman at the top of each regional l ist, promoting diversity of candidates, both men and women, and, thirdly, promoting key workers.
“The extent to which we will be able to legislate within our rules will be a matter determined by legal advice that we will be getting.
“But the party was absolutely clear that we need to be true to our longstanding commitment to women’s representation in Parliament, to have greater diversity of candidates and also to look at how we can ensure we have some strong working-class voices coming through.
“Drawing from key workers seemed to us to be absolutely the right thing to do.
“It seems to be something that strikes a chord with people to say that, if we want the creation of something like a national care service, then wouldn’t it be good to see people who work in that industry being among the people who are shaping that policy.”
Leonard last week denied the move to give places to key workers was intended to punish sitting MSPs demanding he stand down.
It could potentially see detractors lose their places at the top of lists for the Holyrood election in May. He has been under pressure since several key figures, including Jenny Marra, Daniel Johnson and James Kelly, all demanded he quit.
At a meeting of the party’s governing body last week, he narrowly avoided a vote of no confidence.
A source said: “There is nothing wrong in principle with key workers on the lists but, above all, we need the right people. It could be that it is against discrimination laws to say a key worker must be given preference over another candidate.
“The Equal ities Act allows for positive discrimination in favour of women but it is unclear how far you can go in other areas.
“Obviously a lot of MSPs who have spoken out against Richard’s failure to cut through with voters feel this is a move to see them removed from the Scottish Parliament.
“Overall, the feeling within the party is that we need to end infighting and pull together for the campaign next year. There is a danger that this move is only going to cause more damaging division.”
Labour’s Holyrood group members won 20 out of 23 seats after being elected from the regional list.
Leonard has insisted he is not planning a major reshuff le of his front bench before the next election.