Fifth time the charm for Scottish Labour?

The Scottish Labour Leadership election this February will mark the party’s 5th leader since the Independence Referendum in 2014. 

To paraphrase Oscar Wilde: to lose one leader might be considered unfortunate, to lose two looks like carelessness, but five looks like a descent into insanity. 

Once you start changing your leader as often as you do your clothes, voters stop noticing. Partly because they can’t keep up, and partly because they think that if you can’t make your mind up about the measure of a leader then why should they? 

The latest leader is a prime example. Richard Leonard is not a household name, and his recent resignation follows a long line of ineffective leaders more competent at dividing their party than uniting it. Their struggle to retain control of their party is only matched by their party’s struggle to retain any influence in Scotland. The former powerhouse that was Scottish Labour has greatly diminished since the 2010’s and if the party wishes to regain any of its former influence within Scottish politics, they will first need a strong and dynamic leader. 

So who are the hopeful prospects? 

In the red corner, we have Anas “frontrunner” Sarwar : MSP for the Glasgow Region since 2016 and Scottish Labour spokesperson for the Constitution. This will be his second leadership attempt since narrowly losing to Richard Leonard in 2017 . Unlike in 2017, however, this time Sarwar is the favourite to win, having secured 26 of the 47 nominating CLPs, 90 of the 126 nominating councillors, 9 of 16 nominating unions and affiliates, and 16 of the 21 nominating MSPs. 

His popularity is well deserved: he is an experienced and high profile politician in both Holyrood and Westminster (MP for Glasgow Central 2011-2015). He has also previously held leadership positions within his party as deputy leader of Scottish Labour (2011-2014) and even acting leader for a brief few months. 

He is, perhaps, best known for his efforts to tackle Islamophobia within Glasgow and his dedication to improving the NHS. As a former NHS dentist, he is truly passionate about health and led the successful parliamentary campaign to end the NHS pay cap. Indeed, health is so important to him that he cited winning the public inquiry into the failings at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (Scotland’s largest hospital), as the biggest single achievement in his political career. 

Sarwar is a centrist and a strong Unionist hoping to block Independence for at least the next five years. As he says, “It would be a big mistake to go from the trauma of Covid straight into a divisive independence referendum campaign. I don’t think that’s in the national interest – it might be in the nationalist interest, but it’s not in the national interest.”

Instead he hopes that a post-pandemic Scotland will focus on “how we protect and create new jobs, how we need to fight against the climate emergency, how we have an education system that is a global beacon once again, and how we build an NHS that never again has to choose between treating a virus or treating cancer. “                            

It may seem like classic political rhetoric but at least it is forward facing and acutely focused on the issues at hand which is more than can be said for certain SNP politicians. It is not surprising that politics runs through his blood. In 1997, his father Mohammed Sarwar became Britain's first Muslim MP; if Anas Sarwar is elected he will be making history himself as both the first Muslim and BAME leader of a major British political party. 

In the other red corner we have Monica “underdog” Lennon: MSP for the Central Scotland Area since 2016 and Scottish Labour’s Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport. She joined the contest late in the game and has only been backed by four other MSPs as well as herself, 21 nominating CLPs, 36 nominating councillors and seven affiliated organisations.

Although her political CV may not be quite as lengthy as Sarwar’s, she should certainly not be underestimated as a contender in this match. Indeed, she was named by Vogue as one of the top 12 women leaders who changed the world in 2020, after her “Period Poverty Campaign” led to Scotland becoming the first country in the world (under the “Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act”) to subsidise fully and give universal access to menstrual hygiene products. Labour has lost huge numbers of female voters in the past decade, while the SNP outbid and outspent them on various issues, so her issue winning out is a sign she’d take that on. 

Unlike her fellow competitor, Lennon is not adamantly opposed to a second referendum and even defied her party whip by abstaining against the vote on the Government’s Referendum Bill in 2019. She believes if the people support a referendum, the Labour Party should not block this process. It is important to note she is not an Independence supporter herself, rather she states "I don't think the only option in town is between independence led by the SNP and the status quo led by the Tories. I believe in devolution and think we need more powers in Scotland and to do better using the powers we have." 

Thankfully, an alternative devomax or even Indyref2 are not her top priorities whilst the pandemic continues. Instead she states that “getting Scotland vaccinated is our immediate priority. We need to eliminate the virus and recover from the devastation caused by the pandemic''. After that, like Sarwar she is unsurprisingly focused on addressing the inequalities made apparent from the pandemic with a particular focus on child poverty, something she believes can be eradicated within the next 10 years. 

It’s worth remembering that Health is the issue of the moment and likely to stay that way. It is refreshing to see two potential leaders in Scottish Politics who are fully aware and committed to this fact.  

It may be a tough fight between the two, but it appears it will not be a bloody one. Both candidates have been running positive campaigns, calling for party unity over further division. This unity will be essential if Scottish Labour hope to regain support and crucially seats. Ultimately, it is far less important who wins on the 27th of February and far more important what they can actually accomplish once they do. The Scottish elections will be held in May and one cannot be a leader of a party if there is no party in parliament to lead. 

Whoever wins will have the unenviable task of rebuilding Scottish labour from its foundations up and transforming it’s image in the public’s eyes … in just 4 months. If they are successful in this task then they must ensure that they scrutinise the SNP and hold them accountable for their actions.  With Joanna Cherry’s dismissal another crack in the already fracturing SNP unity, the Party is providing the Tories and Labour plenty of opportunity for effective opposition. They must use it.  In our post-pandemic society, we cannot afford further uncertainty, Scottish Labour must work to prevent decisions that will only negatively impact and divide Scots for generations to come. 

Scotland was once a place where “if you pinned a Labour rosette on a donkey it would have a reasonable chance of being elected as an MP”. This is no longer the case. The last decade saw Scottish Labour’s fall from power and this decade will see its struggle to return as a key player.

Personally, my money is on Anas Sarwar for this match but I will wait a few more months before placing my bet on the larger fight ahead ; the fight for Scottish Labour’s survival.