Scottish Labour appears in turmoil on the eve of its spring conference, with leader Richard Leonard beset by rows over Brexit, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and money.
Mr Leonard was yesterday embroiled in an extraordinary spat with his predecessor Kezia Dugdale, who accused him of “censoring” anti-Brexit views in the conference guide.
In an email sent to MSPs and MPs, she alleged he ordered the removal of a statement about Brexit without the authors’ permission.
She said she was “shocked” that a passage by former Scottish MEP Catherine Stihler and current Scottish MEP David Martin backing a People’s Vote had been replaced.
She said it was “wholly inappropriate” and urged him to rectify the “considerable insult”.
Read more: Richard Leonard and Kezia Dugdale at war over Brexit 'censorship' at Scottish Labour conference
Mr Leonard last week said he would rather see a Labour Brexit than a People’s Vote.
Ms Dugdale said the MEPs had wanted the Labour in Europe section of the conference handbook to say: “Brexit is a tragedy for our country and for the workers and communities the Labour Party represents. That’s why David and Catherine fully support a people’s vote with the option to remain in the EU.”
This became: “The complete mess the Tories have made of Brexit means they are putting Scottish people’s jobs and our industries at risk. Labour will always put them first.”
Ms Dugdale wrote: “She [Ms Stihler] was told it was on your direction and that you had the final say on what was printed.”
A Scottish Labour source said: “This was a genuine misunderstanding and Richard has written to Catherine and David to apologise.”
Sources admitted Mr Leonard’s office rewrote parts of the text to reflect party policy, then relented and agreed to the original words.
However a breakdown in communication meant the altered text went to the printers.
Read more: Paul Hutcheon: Scottish Labour needs a leader, not a follower
Ms Dugdale’s camp treated that explanation with extreme scepticism, and said that objections to the rewrite were met with “radio silence” from Mr Leonard’s office. “This is a shambolic run-up to a vital conference,” an insider said.
SNP MSP George Adam said Labour were “willing to gag their own elected members”.
Mr Leonard, whose conference opens in Dundee tomorrow, is already under pressure after being attacked as a weak and ineffectual leader by the head of his own union.
It also emerged yesterday that party chiefs had rejected a conference motion calling for all election candidates to undergo diversity training to help tackle anti-Semitism.
The Eastwood branch motion called for “every necessary measure to be taken” and “robust disciplinary measures” for all candidates and senior party officials.
Labour bosses said motion should submitted instead to the UK conference in September.
Eastwood’s Tory MP Paul Masterton said: “Given the total failure of Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour HQ to stamp out anti-Semitism, it’s extraordinary that Scottish Labour’s view is to hand the matter back to them.”
Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf also said he was “hurt” that Labour had yet to hold a hearing into a councillor who admitted talking about him dressing in a burka a year ago.
He said ignoring “blatant Islamophobia is a complete abdication of leadership”.
The party said it took all complaints of racism “extremely seriously”.
It also emerged the party ended its first full year with Mr Leonard in charge in the red.
The accounts for 2018 showed a slump in income, donations and reserves at 10-year low, and a deficit of £32,452 compared to a £23,964 surplus in 2017.
Total income was down from £738,859 in 2017 to £259,425, donations were down from £152,690 to £35,555, and reserves down from £183,720 and £151,268.
Although income for all parties falls in non-election years, a Labour source said the decline under Mr Leonard, who took the helm in November 2017, was “deeply concerning”.
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