The battle begins for Labour leadership..

Published on Thursday 31 July 2008 10:48

WANTED – new leader for old party still recovering from a major setback and unlikely to win next time.

It doesn't sound a very appealing job advert. But when nominations for the Scottish Labour leadership close tomorrow, at least three hopefuls will have their hats in the ring.

Former cabinet ministers Iain Gray, Cathy Jamieson and Andy Kerr will battle it out over the next six weeks for the post left vacant when Wendy Alexander quit earlier this month.

At least this time there will be a contest. When Jack McConnell resigned in August last year, Ms Alexander was elected unopposed. And although it is still in shock after last year's Holyrood election defeat, in one respect the Scottish Labour Party is in a more fortunate position than the party at UK level.

At Westminster, discontented Labour MPs panicking at the prospect of losing their seats at the next General Election are agitating for a change of leader, despite failing to explain how replacing Gordon Brown with David Miliband or any other member of the Cabinet would improve the situation. In Scotland, there is no need to plot a coup or send in the men in grey suits.

If Labour is to bounce back from last year's Holyrood election defeat, the party has to find more effective ways of challenging the SNP than it has managed so far.

Ms Alexander's period as leader was effectively a wasted year for Labour. Dejected after their defeat, they failed to make any headway against a super-confident SNP.

Judging by last week's Glasgow East by-election result, the SNP's popularity seems undented after 14 months in power. And few people believe Labour will win the next Holyrood elections in 2011.

Andy Kerr was originally seen as the most likely to succeed Ms Alexander, but when she quit he appeared to have second thoughts.

He is the most combative of the contenders and is therefore seen by his supporters as the one best-equipped to take on Alex Salmond.

A Kerr supporter says: "The SNP's biggest challenges are the local income tax and their so-called replacement for PFI, Scottish Futures Trust. Andy is the one who has been in there fighting these issues."

But insiders say his chances of winning the leadership are damaged because he has made too many enemies.

Cathy Jamieson comes from the left of the party and is emphasising "traditional" Labour values in her campaign, seeking to build consensus among trade unionists and the party membership.

One backer says: "People can trust her because they know she is rooted in traditional Labour values, but she's not stuck in the past – she has been willing to change and adapt."

But critics say after eight years as deputy leader, she is too closely associated with previous regimes at a time when the party needs a new start.

Iain Gray served as a minister in the first Scottish Parliament, but then lost his Edinburgh Pentlands seat to the Tories so was not associated with the administration which went down to defeat last year.

His supporters believe he has the "gravitas" needed for leadership.

A supporter says: "Iain is the best placed to give us a fresh start. He doesn't have any baggage from previous administrations. And it's not fair to say he's Westminster's choice – MPs will all have their own, varied reasons for the way they vote."

As well as the three front-runners, two other MSPs, Ken Macintosh and Charlie Gordon have expressed an interest in the leader's job, but insiders say neither is likely to succeed in mustering the six nominations necessary to stand.

The three groups who decide the new leader – party members, trade unionists and parliamentarians, including MPs and MEPs as well as MSPs – will vote 1, 2, 3 for the candidates of their preference.

That means the result could hang on the second preferences of the candidate who finishes last and is eliminated.

And with Ms Jamieson quitting the deputy leadership, that post too is up for election. Margaret Curran, the defeated candidate in the Glasgow East by-election, has decided not to bid for it. And Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP John Park, an early favourite, has also announced he will not be a candidate. But at least three others do want the job – backbencher Bill Butler, former planning minister Johann Lamont and ex-finance committee convener Des McNulty.

Insiders say they doubt if the campaign will produce any major policy differences between the leadership candidates.

The contenders are already being quizzed on whether or not they would dump Ms Alexander's referendum strategy. But there is also a more fundamental question about whether they endorse her call for an expansion of devolution, including more tax powers for the Scottish Parliament.

Activists will get to question the contenders at hustings meetings around the country before the ballot closes on September 9 and the result is announced four days later.