Scots politics needs revival of opposition says Blair

Tony Blair has said political opposition in Scotland requires a “revival” as the leader of Scottish Labour continues to come under pressure to step down.

The former prime minister was speaking at the digital FT Weekend Festival. His comments came after Lord Robertson, who served under Mr Blair as defence secretary, added his name to the Labour voices calling on Richard Leonard to quit.

Mr Blair said the “revival of a serious opposition” in Scotland would help the case for the Union, but had been “out of the game” for years in Scottish politics.

Mr Blair added that the SNP’S strateg y of acting “like an opposition” even when they were in power had also led to their success.

The former Labour leader said: “The other thing that would help enormously, of course, is a revival of a serious opposition to the SNP north of the Border.”

He added: “Unfortunately the Labour Part y has just been out of the game for many years in Scotland, and the Labour Party back in the game would also be a very important part of preserving the Union.”

Mr Blair said S cottish Labour under Mr Leona r d had b e c o me “ve r y weak” and it was critical to “revive”.

Children in care ‘ need more help with schooling’

Children in care urgently need extra tutoring support to improve the attainment gap i n education, Scottish Labour has said.

The par t y’s education spokesman Iain Gray said inequalities could become a “yawning chasm”.

Figures released earlier this week showed the proportion of care- experienced pupils who achieved at least one National 5 qualification was 35 per cent, compared with 85 per cent for all pupils.

Mr Gray i s cal l i ng on the Scottish Government to implement a tutoring scheme f or all children in the care system to help bridge the gap, in line with a recommendation from Who Cares? Scotland.