Hopefuls to make a case

THE three contenders for the Scottish Labour leadership will go head to head in front of party members in Edinburgh tonight.

MSPs Johann Lamont and Ken Macintosh and MP Tom Harris will take part in the second of nine hustings planned across the country as more than 300,000 ballot papers are sent out for the election sparked by East Lothian MSP Iain Gray’s decision to stand down in the wake of May’s Holyrood election defeat.

Deputy leadership candidates Ian Davidson, Lewis Macdonald and Anas Sarwar will also set out their case at the meeting.

The election will be decided by three groups – party members, affiliated trade unions and parliamentarians – each with one-third of the votes. The result will be announced on December 17.