Richard Leonard calls for ‘more equal and tolerant’ Scotland

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard will be among the speakers when the Citizens' Assembly meets in Clydebank. Picture: John Devlin

The Scottish Labour leader will be among the speakers when the Citizens’ Assembly meets for a third time, with delegates asked to discuss the aftermath of last month’s general election.

The body brings together 120 “broadly representative” people from across the country and was described by its former co-convener, David Martin, as “a genuine attempt to have a conversation across the whole of Scottish public opinion”.

Also speaking at the meeting in Clydebank will be SNP MSP Angela Constance, Tory Jamie Halcro Johnston and Scottish Greens co-leader Lorna Slater.

Questions being put to the assembly include: “How do we move forward together in a constructive way despite our different views on Scotland’s constitutional future?” and “How to build a sustainable Scotland?”.

Mr Leonard will call for democratising ownership and expanding the role of both the Scottish Parliament and local government.

“My vision is of a Scotland which is more equal, more tolerant,” he is expected to say.

“Free from fear: fear of poverty, homelessness, hunger and physical squalor amidst the huge inequalities of wealth.

“Where life expectancy is going up not going down. Where there is dignity in old age and retirement. Where we build a Scottish National Care Service which is cherished like the National Health Service.

“Comprehensive child care free for all. Tax funded public services free at the point of need. An education system built on the principle of lifelong learning: including education for it’s own sake but also to meet the automation revolution, the climate change challenge.”

Mr Leonard is also expected to urge the people of Scotland to think courageously about the future.

“Much of this can be driven by the existing powers of the Scottish Parliament,” Mr Leonard will say. “But we must act and engage democratically at the level where power is exercised.

“If earlier generations had not possessed vision, campaigned with conviction, there would be no NHS, no welfare state, no equal rights, no Open University, no full employment, no publicly owned housing.”

Scottish Conservative constitution secretary Adam Tomkins said: “Not that Labour performs terribly well in it, but Scotland already has one of the strongest devolved parliaments in the world.

“And it doesn’t really matter what Richard Leonard proposes – he’d never get it past his party either here or in London.”