MPs 'shouldn't get vote on new leader'

Published on Sunday 15 May 2011 19:58

Scottish Labour MPs should consider not voting in the forthcoming Holyrood party leadership contest, a newly elected MSP has said.

North East MSP Jenny Marra spoke out after former First Minister Jack McConnell said it was wrong that Westminster MPs had equal votes with MSPs on the issue.

Iain Gray said last week that he would stand down as Scottish Labour leader following the Scottish election result.

Asked if MPs should voluntarily not vote in the contest, Ms Marra said: "I think perhaps they should. It's up to them and its not for me to say as an MSP what they can do.

"I still think even if they did decide as a group to voluntarily withdraw from the electoral college they would still have a lot of influence. They have a lot of influence over the activists in their constituencies and the people that are loyal to them." She backed Lord McConnell's suggestion over the weekend that MPs could vote as party members but not as MPs, which would give them additional voting power.

"Unless that happens I think there will be real credibility problems for the new leader of the party in Scotland," Lord McConnell said.

A contest will be held later this year after a review headed by Lothians MSP Sarah Boyack is completed.

One of the areas it will look into is whether the leader of the MSPs group, Mr Gray's current status, should be leader of the whole Scottish Labour Party.