Humiliation for Leonard as Labour performs another Indyref2 U-turn

SCOTTISH Labour yesterday performed another hasty U-turn on its independence position, in a ‘humiliating’ new snub for leader Richard Leonard.

The party is still reeling from its worst General Election result north of the Border in more than a century, with only one MP returned to Westminster.

Mr Leonard proposed backing a second independence referendum, if a third option of federalism was put on the ballot paper. But this idea was rejected at a meeting of the Scottish party’s ruling body, the Scottish Executive Committee yesterday.

One source said the decision was an ‘utterly humiliating U-turn’, which has left Mr Leonard weaker than ever.

Another added: ‘The reality is people around that table – of the Left, Right, trade unions, constituency Labour parties – all thought this was a bonkers idea. It lacked credibility, lacked support.’

After the meeting, Mr Leonard pledged a ‘swift, evidence-based review’ of the party’s election failure.

He said: ‘We must in particular consider our position on the constitutional questions which dominated the General Election campaign: Scotland’s constitutional future and our relationship with the EU – drawing on our tradition as the party of devolution.’ Mr Leonard is understood to be determined to go into the 2021 Holyrood election as leader, but has been left weakened and isolated by yesterday’s decision.

Tory MSP Miles Briggs said: ‘This is another humiliating result for Richard Leonard. He was pushing for his party to give in to the SNP on Indyref2, but he’s been stopped by his own executive.’

As Labour’s leaders met yesterday, tens of thousands of independence supporters marched in Glasgow demanding another referendum. Boris Johnson has repeatedly ruled out a second Scexit vote.

Keith Brown MSP, deputy leader of the SNP, said: ‘Democracy must prevail and Scotland will have the right to choose our own future.’