Labour MSP says a separate Scottish party is route to revival

A FRONTBENCH Labour MSP has said her party must break with UK Labour and become a standalone Scottish operation if it is to end its “long-term losing streak”.

Monica Lennon will tell Scottish Labour’s internal review of its General Election thrashing, in which it lost six of its seven MPS, that the party needs to “become a separate political party in its own right”.

She said it was “no longer tenable” for decisions about Scottish Labour to be undermined by UK colleagues, citing shadow chancellor John Mcdonnell unilaterally opening the door to Indyref2 last year.

Writing in the Daily Record, Ms Lennon said: “Decisions about Scotland’s future within the UK should ultimately be a matter for Holyrood, not Westminster.”

She said Scottish Labour MPS could vote with their “sister party” at Westminster, but the Scottish party would control its own policy, discipline and other processes.

However, she admitted a separate Scottish Labour Party would need to find more cash – the Scottish operation is heavily subsidised.

The Central Scotland list MSP, who speaks for the party on health at Holyrood, said the link to UK Labour was “stopping the Scottish leader from being heard or taken seriously”.

Citing former leader Johann Lamont’s dig about London treating Scottish Labour as a “branch office”, Ms Lennon said: “If we look like a pressure group within a party we will continue to be rejected. However, the branch office continues to this day.”

She warned: “In Scotland, the party is at its lowest ebb, but it would be foolish to think we have hit rock bottom. Scottish Labour’s long-term losing streak will continue unless we make some epic changes of our own.

“Our capacity to shrink is a sure bet, unless we act fast.

“The opportunity to [be] a modern, dynamic political force is there – if we are prepared to take bold action.”

Mr Leonard said “the future of how our party functions and what our constitutional future offer is” would be part of its review process.

Ian Murray, the last Labour MP in Scotland, said the party should be offering a credible, appealing vision to voters, not turning inward.

He said: “If I had a pound for every voter who mentioned Labour’s internal organisation on the doorstep, I wouldn’t even have a pound.”

However GMB Scotland boss Gary Smith said: “Something needs to give.

“Scottish Labour is unlikely to survive in its current guise.”