SCOTTISH Labour is “heading for a mess” after its leadership deselected a Holyrood candidate who expressed support for an second independence referendum in the next parliamentary term, according to one of its own MSP's.

Neil Findlay, who is stepping down at the next election, called the decision to deselect Hollie Cameron “frankly outrageous”. He said it showed “part of Labour’s fundamental problem is it has never got to grips with the fact that Scottish people want more powers”.

Cameron had been due to contest the Glasgow Kelvin constituency, but was removed by Labour bosses after an interview she gave to The Sunday National.

In that interview, Cameron suggested that indyref2 should happen “when the public wants” and that may fall in the next parliamentary term. She added: “I say, why not?”

READ MORE: Labour candidate Hollie Cameron dropped after backing indyref2

However, Cameron’s comments are at odds with the position of newly elected party leader Anas Sarwar, who has taken a firmly Unionist position.

Sarwar has insisted that the country must focus on rebuilding from Covid before dealing with any “divisive” constitutional issues.

Concerns that Cameron would fail to follow the Scottish Labour whip were cited by the party in its decision to drop her from the selection, following a second interview with an executive committee panel.

Findlay, who currently represents Lothian for Labour, told BBC Radio Scotland that he thought deselecting Cameron was a “very bad move”.

“Are they going to deselect [Scottish Labour deputy leader] Jackie Baillie because she takes a different view from party policy on Trident?”, he went on, “or are we going to stop candidates standing if they take a different position on say Brexit or the transgender debate or whatever.

“You start to get in a real mess when you do these things and I think the party’s heading for a mess over this one. And that’s very regrettable, very regrettable.”

He said the decision to overrule the local constituency party’s choice was “very disappointing and frankly outrageous”.

“If we allow parties to select democratically, and that’s what’s happened in the Glasgow Kelvin constituency, they’ve selected Hollie as their candidate and now they’ve been told that that is not to be the case, I think that is a very bad move.

“Kelvin’s one of the biggest constituency Labour parties in the country, a very active party as well, and they have the right to select their own candidate.”

READ MORE: Labour candidate for Holyrood backs indyref2 but says there is 'quibble' over timing

The Kelvin constituency party has now written to the central Labour body to demand Cameron’s reinstatement.

The letter says: "Hollie was democratically elected by members from across Labour’s broad church as Glasgow Kelvin’s candidate, with no votes against.

"During Hollie’s campaign for selection for the Glasgow Regional List and for Glasgow Kelvin constituency, her position as a 2014 Yes voter and her current views on the constitutional question were made clear.

"However, the focus of Hollie’s campaign was to be on a socialist coronavirus and climate recovery for Scotland.

"Hollie took part in an interview outlining her perspective on the constitution and the democratic rights of people in Scotland.

"Running in a constituency where over 60% voted for pro-independence parties at the last Holyrood elections, the aim of this interview was to get Labour’s message to a significant constituency who have stopped listening to the party."

Cameron said: "I have been very touched by the support I have received from Glasgow Kelvin CLP, party members and important figures in the Labour movement. I am also humbled to have received messages of support from the general public.

"My position on another referendum has been clear for years and was clear throughout the selection process. I was selected by a large margin either because, or in spite of my view.

"I am a dedicated campaigner who is loyal to the Labour Party and my home city. Following the leadership election, Anas Sarwar stated that Scotland hadn't had the Labour Party it deserves; I did and continue to believe I am the Labour candidate Glasgow Kelvin deserves."

READ MORE: Kaukab Stewart: Meet the SNP's Holyrood candidate for Glasgow Kelvin

Kaukab Stewart, who will be running in the Glasgow Kelvin constituency for the SNP, said the newly elected Sarwar had “failed his first test of leadership”.

She said: “Anas Sarwar has failed his first test of leadership by making it abundantly clear that any Labour supporters who believe that the people of Scotland have a democratic right to choose their own future are not welcome in his party.

“That explains why people across Scotland have given up on Scottish Labour - voters just can’t take them seriously anymore.

“It is the people who live here who should decide what kind of country Scotland should be - not Boris Johnson - and Labour’s dismissive attitude towards that democratic right won’t wash with voters."