Shadow Scots secretary won’t be speaking at conference
LESLEY Laird, the shadow Scottish secretary, is not scheduled to speak at this year’s party conference, Labour sources have confirmed.
The shadow Cabinet minister has no set slot on the conference podium, nor is she down to speak on the fringe programme.
Indeed, only one
Scottish Labour MP is listed as speaking on the main conference fringe – Ged Killen, of Rutherglen and Hamilton West.
The backbencher is due to contribute to the Labour for a Republic meeting tomorrow night, which will discuss why the party “must embrace republicanism and work towards an end to the monarchy”.
When asked why Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath MP Ms Laird was not speaking at conference, as shadow Scottish secretaries have done in the past, a Labour source said it was “in no way unprecedented” for a shadow secretary of state not to address conference.
It is understood Ms Laird will be undertaking several round-table discussions during the four-day event.
The source stressed that Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard would be speaking from the podium – giving the Scottish
Report today during the afternoon plenary session.
Yesterday, Mr Leonard gave a keynote speech at the parallel World Transformed conference, where he outlined the socialist case for Britain.