A LABOUR MSP has quit the shadow cabinet, saying he has “no confidence” in Richard Leonard as the party heads into the 2021 election.
Recent YouGov polls have shown more than half of all Scots voters have no opinion of Leonard, while Scottish Labour is on course to gain just 14% in both the constituency and regional list votes next year. This would result in a loss of five MSPs.
During his time as Scottish Labour leader Leonard has overseen a series of poor election results, including the European Parliament elections and the 2019 General Election when the party lost six MPs, leaving them with just one representative at Westminster.
READ MORE: Labour MSPs call for Richard Leonard to resign before Holyrood election
In recent weeks Labour figures have called on Leonard to consider his position, including George Foulkes. It was also reported that Keir Starmer has lost confidence in Leonard, but the Scottish Labour leader strenuously denied these claims.
On Monday The National reported that a delegation of Labour MSPs told Leonard to step aside before the party faces oblivion at the Holyrood vote.
It was reported at the time that the group of MSPs was led by frontbench team member James Kelly, who is the party’s justice spokesman in the Scottish Parliament.
This morning Kelly posted his resignation letter on social media, saying it is time to say publicly what he has told the leader privately.
The letter reveals Kelly spoke to Leonard three weeks ago about his concerns over the 2021 election, but Leonard “responded by saying you wished to remain in post as your believed you could reverse our poor position in the polls”.
Kelly writes he has spent the time since then watching Leonard’s performance “closely”, and has seen recent polling continue to decline.
READ MORE: Richard Leonard urged to step down by Labour Party veteran
He told Leonard: “Your personal polling ratings are particularly low. More than half of the public have no opinion on you and you have a negative rating even among our own supporters. Such poor ratings would produce a catastrophic result from which the party would struggle to recover.
I have resigned from the Scottish Labour Shadow Cabinet. I am saying publicly today what I have said to Richard privately. I sincerely believe that if we are to reverse our fortunes Richard must stand down. pic.twitter.com/8LmK63QMnk
— James Kelly MSP (@JamesKellyLab) September 2, 2020
“I see no evidence of a clear plan to reverse the party’s fortunes the situation has been apparent for some time and you have failed to turn things around. I have no confidence in your ability to shape the party’s message, strategy and organisation. I know this is a view shared by other parliamentarians, party members and indeed many members of the public.
“It is clear that after nearly three years in charge you are not able to take the party forward. I firmly and sincerely believe that it is in the best interests of the party that you stand down as leader.”
Kelly went on: “Given my lack of confidence in your leadership, I have therefore taken the difficult decision to resign from the shadow cabinet. This is not a decision that I have taken lightly. I have always been a loyal party member and this is the first time in 39 years of membership that I have resigned a position.”
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