Richard Leonard says Labour MSPs calling for his resignation are trying to “wage an internal war”

Richard Leonard has hit out at “disgruntled MSPs” after he faced calls to resign as Scottish Labour leader.

Mr Leonard insisted he would not be standing down, and accused those making public calls for him to quit of trying to “wage an internal war”.

James Kelly quit as the party’s justice spokesman at Holyrood with his resignation letter claiming it is in Labour’s “best interests” for Mr Leonard to stand down.

The Glasgow MSP said he is now saying publicly what he had already told the leader privately – that if Labour is to reverse its fortunes in Scotland, “Richard must stand down”.

In response, Mr Leonard insisted: “I am leading Scottish Labour into the 2021 elections on a platform of building a National Care Service, establishing a quality Jobs Guarantee Scheme and reviving Scotland’s economy with a Green New Deal.

“If any party representative thinks an internal faction fight is more important than this agenda, they will have to answer to the party members and the voters whom we serve.”

Meanwhile, North East Scotland MSP Jenny Marra told the Times newspaper that if the party does “not change course now, we risk catastrophe”.

She was backed by fellow MSP Daniel Johnson, who said: “It is not easy speaking out but my colleagues Jenny Marra and James Kelly have done the right thing.

“It is time to recognise the situation we are in and for Richard to step down.”

Labour is currently third in the opinion polls in Scotland, behind both the SNP and the Tories.

In the European elections in May 2019 the party slumped to fifth north of the border, polling less than 10% of the vote.

With MSPs facing another Holyrood election next May, concerns have been raised about Mr Leonard’s leadership.

Mr Kelly told Mr Leonard that recent polling put Labour at an “unacceptably low” level of 14%, adding that the leader had “negative ratings even among our own supporters”.

He warned: “Such poll ratings would produce a catastrophic result from which our party would struggle to recover.”

Mr Kelly said he had seen “no evidence” of a plan to reverse the party’s fortunes, telling the leader: “The situation has been apparent for some time and you have failed to turn things round.”

He continued: “I have no confidence in your ability to shape the party’s message, strategy and organisation.

“I know that this is a view shared by other parliamentarians, party members and indeed many members of the public.”

Meanwhile, Ms Marra said: “Richard is a stalwart of our party but he cannot lead us. That’s the unavoidable truth and change is our best hope.”

The North East Scotland MSP added: “The reality is that you only have a short window in political leadership to make an impression on the public. After three years the party’s standing is getting worse rather than better.”

Mr Leonard was elected as Scottish Labour leader in 2017, after his predecessor, Kezia Dugdale, stepped down.

With the current leader regarded as a left-winger, Ms Marra said his leadership had been “tied from the start to the disaster of Jeremy Corbyn’s project”.

She added: “We need new energy, a new approach and to turn a new page.”

Mr Johnson, the Edinburgh Southern MSP, said he had attempted to raise concerns and make “constructive suggestions” over Labour’s future, but “these have gone unheeded and there has been no change in approach or performance”.

He added: “Continuing like this will be disastrous for our party and is why I no longer have confidence in Richard Leonard’s leadership.”

Mr Leonard received the backing of Highlands and Islands MSP Rhoda Grant who said: “Richard Leonard was elected leader of Scottish Labour less than three years ago with the overwhelming backing of members and affiliated unions.

“Yesterday, because of Richard Leonard’s tireless campaigning, the Scottish Government announced that it would support the principal of a National Care Service, a Scottish Labour policy for a decade.

“The crisis facing our country requires bold thinking and it requires a united Scottish Labour Party, under the leadership of Richard Leonard, fighting for the real change we need.”

Lothian MSP Neil Findlay tweeted: “The same people who are demanding Richard Leonard resigns are the ones who told us that Better Together was a huge success story for Labour and that Jim Murphy was the salvation of the Party – they have been repeatedly wrong and are wrong again – it’s treachery with a snarl.”