Leader comment: Rate Leonard on his actions, not his accent

Even before the official campaign has begun within Labour to select a leader to replace Kezia Dugdale, a nasty personal campaign has ­surfaced. Unnamed opponents of Richard Leonard, one of the ­candidates, claim the fact that he is English and that he is private school educated, would count against him. Supporters will loudly ­protest that such personal characteristics should have no place in a ­contest that should surely focus on the ­policies of the candidates.

Scottish Labour leadership candidate Richard Leonard has had his accent and education questioned. Picture: Contributed

It is true that Mr Leonard was, like fellow contender Anas Sarwar, ­privately educated: a pupil of the independent Pocklington School in the East Riding of Yorkshire. It is also the case that he speaks with a Yorkshire accent. But that these observations should somehow count against him is absurd. Indeed, the objection to his accent borders on a perverse and parochial racism. It should no more be an issue than that Aneurin Bevan was Welsh. That such objections should be aired is a disgrace and singularly objectionable in a party that ­purports to champion diversity, inclusiveness and common ­purpose.

All this is not to say that there are no questions to be asked of Mr Leonard’s candidacy. He became a central Scotland List MSP only last year and quickly rose through the party’s savagely depleted ranks to become shadow economy spokesman. He is perceived as the main pro-Corbyn candidate and, as such, regarded by party insiders as the front runner. Yet outside of his ­narrow gauge of experience he has barely made a mark. And this, ­combined with a conspicuous lack of presence in parliamentary ­politics and economic affairs, ­cannot but come under scrutiny.

By contrast, Anas Sarwar was deputy leader when he was MP for Glasgow Central and interim leader in 2014. Soon after being returned as an MSP in 2015 he took up a prominent role at Holyrood, acting as health spokesman. But crucially, how distinct is his diction, and how languid is his lilt?

For Labour of all parties to worry about a Scottish accent is a bit rich. In the 1990s, the shadow cabinet at Westminster, then the Cabinet, was awash with Scots’ tongues.

One wonders what the late Tam Dalyell, educated at Eton and with his not-so-West Lothian accent to match, would have made of this.

Let Mr Leonard be judged on his political record, not on a background he had little choice over.