SCOTTISH Labour leader Richard Leonard has said his record of “winning the battle of ideas in Scottish politics” is enough to keep him in the top job. 

The MSP spoke exclusively to The Herald after his party descended into open warfare, with four of his Holyrood colleagues openly calling for him to step down yesterday.

The Herald: Camley's Cartoon: Richard Leonard's woes.Camley's Cartoon: Richard Leonard's woes.

Three members of his front bench quit their positions, and said he was not fit to lead the party into the elections next May.

However Mr Leonard, who was elected as leader in 2017, dismissed their calls as “unhelpful distractions” that had “frustrated and angered” swathes of party members.

He said: “I was elected with a strong majority on a clear mandate from the whole membership of the Scottish Labour party just under three years ago. 

“That mandate was clear – that they want me to lead the Scottish Labour party into the May 2021 election. So, I’m absolutely clear that that’s what I’ll be doing.”

When asked why Mr Leonard believed the party as a whole still supported him, compared to the growing number in Holyrood who do not, he said: “I have received a huge number of messages of support in the last 24 hours. The message I’m getting from the grassroots of the party is that they want me to lead the party into 2021, and there is a huge amount of frustration and anger that people in the group in Holyrood have chosen now of all times to start an internal struggle and the party members I’ve spoken to just think that is a huge distraction.”

Asked what evidence he had that showed he had not failed as the party’s leader, Mr Leonard said: “I cite the evidence of winning the battle of ideas in politics in Scotland, and in the Scottish Parliament.”

He explained: “We are trying to reach out to trade union members who have maybe become estranged from the Labour Party and who are likely to vote SNP.

“I don’t minimise the scale of the challenge that faces us, but I think that the terms of debate are changing because of the pandemic, and I do think that there will be a big shock to the body politic with the massive rise we expect to see in unemployment in the last quarter of this year, as the job retention scheme is abandoned. 

“There is going to be continuing concern about public health, about what the re-mobilisation of public services and the National Health Service looks like. What are we doing about economic recovery and what kind of economic recovery do we need? And how do we provide jobs for people? 

“I’ve been arguing for all of my adult life about the importance of work and jobs, the importance of combating youth employment but also understanding that the nature of what’s happened over the last six months has meant that large parts of the labour force are facing the prospect of unemployment. Entire industries are under threat. 

“There is going to be a clear lead from a party of labour in providing a response to that challenge. 

“I’m clear that our Labour Party, founded on the trade unions, is absolutely the best vehicle for pursuing that.”

Mr Leonard also suggested that the MSPs who have spoken out against him – Jenny Marra, Daniel Johnson, James Kelly and Mark Griffin – may no longer realise the “privilege” of being an elected politician in Holyrood, and may have become too comfortable with their roles.

The four MSPs yesterday said Mr Leonard was not fit to be leader, with Mr Kelly, Ms Marra and Mr Griffin resigning from the front bench. 

He issued a warning to the rogue MSPs, saying: “Members are appalled that at this time people have chosen to try to wage a war inside the party. 

“It’s something which will not play well in any forthcoming  regional elections. The party will decide how we select candidates for the regional list at a meeting in 10 days time so that is an urgent matter.”

Mr Leonard also said he would like to see “a more diverse” selection of MSPs in Holyrood, but insisted he was not in the position to deselect any current MSP. He explained: “I do think there is an opportunity for new blood, a more diverse range of MSPs coming into the Scottish Parliament to represent the Labour Party. 

“I believe that being a Labour MSP is an absolute privilege. With that privilege comes responsibility.

“In the end, party members will make a decision about whether they want to return Labour MSPs who  have got an eye on promoting the Labour message, spreading the word, looking outwardly versus anybody that thinks that we’ve got the luxury, given that we are in third place, of turning in on ourselves."