LESLEY Laird, the Shadow Scottish Secretary, is not scheduled to speak at this year’s party conference, Labour sources have confirmed.
The Shadow Cabinet minister has no set slot on the conference podium nor is she down to speak on the fringe programme.
Indeed, only one Scottish Labour MP is listed as speaking on the main conference fringe – Ged Killen, who represents Rutherglen and Hamilton West.
The backbencher is due to contribute to the Labour for a Republic meeting on Tuesday evening, which will discuss why Labour “must embrace Republicanism and work towards an end to the monarchy”.
A Labour source, questioned why Ms Laird, who represents Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, was not speaking at conference, when normally in the past Shadow Scottish Secretaries have done so, said it was “in no way unprecedented” for the Shadow Secretary of State not to address the UK conference.
It is understood Ms Laird will be undertaking several roundtable discussions during the four-day event.
The source stressed how Richard Leonard would be speaking from the conference podium; he will be giving the Scottish Report today during the afternoon plenary session. Yesterday, the Scottish Labour leader gave a keynote speech at the parallel World Transformed conference when he outlined the socialist case for Britain.
Jeremy Corbyn, who for the second year running spent a week during summer touring Scotland, has made clear winning more Scottish seats at the next General Election “holds the key” to Labour winning power.
The Labour leader is due to speak at the traditional Scots Night, which takes place this evening.
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