Labour chief’s Christmas card gets the date wrong
RICHARD Leonard has been mocked for producing the most painfully earnest Christmas card at Holyrood – and then getting the date wrong.
The Scottish Labour leader chose a socialist engraving from 1894 for his festive message.
The Central Scotland MSP said The Cause Of Labour Is The Hope Of
The World by the prolific children’s book illustrator Walter Crane was a “symbol of solidarity and hope”.
The work, which tells workers to “stick fast to your banner” until their cause “renews earth again”, is clearly dated
1894 in the bottom right corner.
Scottish Labour’s press release said it was published in 1897.
A Tory spokesman said: “Richard Leonard needs to take a day off. He seems to have forgotten that Christmas is also a time for joy and laughter.
“Although with poll ratings like his, no wonder he’s not laughing.”
Mr Leonard, a keen student of Labour history, said the card was in Walter Crane’s “distinctive style”.
He said: “Christmas is a time for sharing and giving, and a time for reflecting on how much more we can do together to change our society for the better.”
His card is in contrast to Nicola Sturgeon’s official card, which features a photo of the Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow, taken by Harry Benson.
The photo will be auctioned for charity.