The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Labour candidate says party is neither ‘electable’ or ‘credible’
Trouble mounts as second would-be MSP faces expulsion
Labour is neither “electable” nor “credible”, a would-be MSP has told party members.
Lesley Laird, deputy leader of Fife Council, made the comments in an email asking for support in her bid for the top spot on the Mid Scotland and Fife list.
The local party was thrown into further turmoil as it emerged another candidate, Craig Miller, could be expelled from the contest after he was reported for an alleged breach of rules.
In the note, entitled “which pond are you fishing in”, Ms Laird slams the state of Labour as the party trails the SNP in the polls ahead of May’s election.
The Courier last month revealed that Fife Labour has descended into civil war as the competition to be elected to Holyrood exposed a series of internal feuds.
List selections are highly competitive, with sitting MSPs, big hitters and senior councillors battling for selection.
Ms Laird said: “If Scottish Labour is to be once again electable and credible, then that means showing that we have listened. Albert Einstein said ‘Insanity – doing the same things over and over and somehow expecting a different result’.
“Rebuilding our credibility and our electability with the Scottish people has to be our priority.”
An SNP spokesman said: “Something is certainly fishy in this bizarre email from Lesley Laird to local Labour members – most likely it’s her claim that the deeply-divided Labour party can become credible or electable any time soon.”
A party spokesman said: “Scottish Labour are moving forward with Kezia Dugdale as our new leader.”
The Courier can also reveal a member of the Stirling party has reported Mr Miller to the local secretary after claiming he broke leafleting guidelines.
Candidates are allowed to send one printed campaign material but can provide members with hand-written notes. It is understood Mr Miller sent round a photocopy of a penned letter in what was seen as an attempt to get round the rule.
A Labour spokesman said the party does not comment on internal processes. Neither Mr Miller nor Ms Laird responded to requests for comment.