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Daily Record
Daily Record
Politics
Douglas Barrie & Kathleen Speirs

Monica Lennon joins race to become Scottish Labour leader with Anas Sarwar

Monica Lennon is in the running to become the next Scottish Labour leader.

The MP for central Scotland has thrown in her hat in the ring alongside Anas Sarwar.

Ms Lennon made the announcement on Sunday night.

Labour MSP Monica Lennon is now in the running to become party chief (Sunday Mail)

It comes as Richard Leonard revealed that he would be stepping down from the role.

Mr Leonard has been Scotland's Labour chief since 2017.

Ms Lennon said: "Following extensive discussions with party members, I have decided to put my name forward to lead the Scottish Labour Party.

"This is an important time for our country and it is vital that Scottish Labour continues to play a positive and constructive role during the pandemic response.

"The Scottish Parliament election will be a key moment in our democracy, when we decide what a Covid-19 recovery should look like.

"Scottish Labour Party members deserve to have their say about the best way to take forward our vision for a fairer and more equal Scotland."

Richard Leonard will step down from the role (PA)

Mr Sarwar set out his stall to replace Mr Leonard on Saturday, saying the country "needs political leadership that will bring people together" and that he wants "to rebuild Scottish Labour, and then rebuild Scotland".

In a column for the Observer online, the Glasgow MSP wrote: "Over the past few years, I have gained a new perspective on our politics and realised that the things we argue about mean little to people's lives.

"We spend too much time highlighting our differences, rather than focusing on what unites us.

"I firmly believe we cannot go back to society as it was before the pandemic - insecure work, hollowed- out public services, an underfunded health service, and the constant focus on another independence referendum when there's far more important things we need to be dealing with.

"Scottish Labour can compete again if we offer a positive alternative - a plan to heal our wounds, to reunite our people and to rebuild our country."

On Saturday, the party's executive agreed to a condensed timescale for any contest with the Holyrood elections less than four months away.

The last Scottish Labour leadership contest in 2017 - when Mr Leonard defeated Mr Sarwar - took two-and-a-half months.

A deadline of midnight on Sunday was set for candidates to declare their intention to run and they require support from at least four of the party's MSPs or its sole Scottish MP by midday on the following Tuesday to be formally nominated.

Party members and affiliated supporters will be able to cast their votes from February 9 until ballots close on February 26 with the new leader to be announced the following day.

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