Scottish Labour leadership contest builds momentum

Updated (1/12/2011) - The campaign for the Scottish Labour party leadership reached its climax as voting opened this week. With 13,000 ballots distributed to party members, and a further 270,000 sent out to trades unions, candidates for the leadership and deputy leadership are now mounting frantic efforts to secure crucial votes in what is likely to be a close election.

The leadership election will be the first time a member has had the chance to create an independent identity for Scottish Labour following the devolution of party powers as recommended in the Murphy-Boyack review.

At this stage, Johann Lamont MSP has secured the backing of twenty-seven members of the party's MSP, MP and MEP group as well as two of the largest unions, Unison and Unite.

By comparison, Ken MacIntosh is being supported by twenty-six parliamentarians and five unions. Tom Harris MP is backed by thirteen MPs, including one MEP, but has not secured the support of any MSPs or unions.

Standing for the deputy leader position are: Anas Sarwar MP, Ian Davidson MP and Lewis MacDonald MSP.

Whilst Mr MacIntosh has stated that “we need to start talking about what we are for, not just what we are against” and Lamont has conceded that “we in Labour lost our way, lost our confidence and lost Scotland”, as of yet, there is no clear narrative of how the candidates plan to use the new powers to develop the party.

The leadership campaign has been marred by controversy. In late October, Ian Davidson apologised to the Westminster committee he chairs after an SNP MP accused him of using threatening language towards her.

Dr Eilidh Whiteford claimed that Mr Davidson said she would get "a doing" if details of private discussions of the Scottish Affairs Committee were to leak.

Mr Davidson has vigorously denied that any threat was made, characterising the controversy as a misunderstanding, but nonetheless apologised "for any offence that was caused."

The Glasgow MP is no stranger to inflammatory rhetoric. In June, he enraged Scots nationalists after referring to the SNP as “neo-fascist”.

Furthermore, UK Labour leader Ed Miliband could not remember the name of candidate Ken MacIntosh during a BBC Scotland interview. When asked to name the candidates, Mr Miliband said:

"There is Tom Harris, there is Johann Lamont and a third candidate who is also putting himself forward."

Mr Miliband later apologised to Mr MacIntosh.

The next few weeks will see a number of hustings and debates take place as the candidates vie to lead their party, with the results of the ballots to be announced on 19 December.