Labour is not providing a functioning opposition

ONE of the most vital aspects of parliamentary democracy is for the government of the day to face a credible Opposition.

At Westminster, Labour has palpably failed to hold the Tories to account over the last 12 months.

A combination of weak leadership by Jeremy Corbyn and never-ending internal strife has given David Cameron and now Theresa May a free pass. Scottish Labour is heading in the same rudderless direction.

Kezia Dugdale is correct on some fundamental issues of the day, such as using Holyrood’s tax powers to offset austerity, but grave doubts are growing about her leadership.

As we reveal today, three of the party’s biggest donors have been reluctant to put their hands in their pockets since she became leader.

At a time when Dugdale was trying, and failing, to hold on to second place at Holyrood, these donors decided against funding Scottish Labour. This decision speaks volumes about their faith in her.

She has also got caught up in the slipstream of the leadership row at Westminster and appears to be at odds with her deputy Alex Rowley.

However, it would be unfair to pin the state of Scottish Labour on someone who has only been in the job for about a year.

The party’s problems go back over a decade and, unlike Ruth Davidson, who had five years as leader before facing voters, Dugdale had to fight a Holyrood election within months of succeeding Jim Murphy.

Next year’s local government polls should have been the starting point for her comeback.

The SNP will have been in government for 10 years and should be showing signs of wear and tear. On paper, Labour should be taking seats off the SNP.

Instead, a senior party figure has already told the Sunday Herald that Labour is preparing for defeat next year. “It’s about managing expectations,” a senior source admitted.

If, as other senior insiders expect, Scottish Labour is routed next year, Dugdale will have nowhere to hide.

The party will have slumped to a humiliating third place behind the Tories at Holyrood and watched its local government base wither as well.

Why is this important? This newspaper believes Scotland needs a vigorous centre-left opposition to an SNP Government that talks progressively on reserved matters but governs cautiously on devolved areas.

In reality, Nicola Sturgeon is faced by a rejuvenated Scottish Tory party that stands up for the usual narrow interests in the usual way.

Holyrood desperately needs Labour to mend itself and find its voice in a Parliament bogged down in Brexit and independence rows.

If Dugdale does not have the stomach for the fight, she should vacate the role and make way for someone who does.

Bruce Springsteen

revealed he’d been “crushed” by depression in his early 60s. The musician, 66, says in his memoir that he first saw a psychotherapist more than 30 years ago and struggled with the illness while making 2012 album Wrecking Ball, which includes the song This Depression. When he’s ill, his wife can “observe a freight train bearing down”. A Border collie with 10,000 Twitter followers is to star in his own calendar. Blaze, a rescue dog from Portree, Skye, is raising funds for the Skye mountain rescue team. Blaze has bagged more than 80 Munros with owner Steve Millar, who posted pictures of the dog in famous Scottish locations across the internet. The calendar will be signed by Ian Rankin and other celebrities.