Labour brands damning analysis of Scots election campaign 'irrelevant'

The post-mortem examination of the election was written by Adrian Colwell, a special adviser to Jack McConnell during his time as first minister.

According to reports, the blunt assessment blames a lack of focus and organisation in the party for losing votes. And as speculation grows about the party's leadership, it also casts doubt on Mr McConnell.

Yesterday, Labour Party members distanced themselves from the memo, denying that it would form part of the ongoing party review following the election.

Behind-the-scenes sources said Mr Colwell was never part of the campaign and had been distant from Mr McConnell for some time.

The memo first emerged yesterday after being leaked to a newspaper.

According to the report, the memo concluded that Labour had fought a "relentlessly negative" campaign and lost focus.

It went on to say that the party risks further losses at a Westminster election unless it finds fresh purpose.

The memo is doing the rounds in party circles and was thought to be part of a review of the campaign being carried out by Lesley Quinn, Scottish Labour's general secretary.

But a Scottish Labour spokesman said the memo, dated 18 May, was not part of the review.

He said: "It is not something commissioned by the party. It is something written off [Mr Colwell's] own back before the party started the building blocks for moving forward."

George Foulkes, a Labour MSP, said the memo was "totally irrelevant", adding:

"He [Mr Colwell] had a relatively peripheral part in the campaign."

The memo reportedly recommends future leadership must be more "team-based" and less presidential. It is also claimed there is a dig at Mr McConnell's international profile, saying: "We need devolution delivery, not foreign policy fantasies."

The assessment comes at a difficult time for Mr McConnell. He is currently on holiday in Arran "considering his future role in the party". However, Wendy Alexander, the former enterprise minister, is seen as the front-runner to succeed him.

A source close to Mr McConnell said

Mr Colwell was "out of touch" in the latter days of Mr McConnell's term as first minister, with more involvement with the Liberal Democrat camp.

He said: "[The memo] is Adrian Colwell's personal reflections and not borne out by reality in any way."

Scottish Labour's 46 MSPs are planning an "away day" on 20 and 21 August, during which Mr McConnell will make his intentions known to the rest of the party.