RICHARD LEONARD today insisted that the “best chance” Scottish Labour has in next year’s Holyrood elections is to unite behind him.

Four MSPs — James Kelly, Jenny Marra, Daniel Johnson and Mark Griffin — publicly called on him to quit after Scottish Labour came third in an opinion poll north of the border. The call came the same day that the Scottish government adopted Labour’s longstanding demand for a national care service.

Shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Rachel Reeves followed suit today and said that the Scottish Labour leader should “consider his position and do what he thinks is right for Scotland and for Scottish Labour.”

Mr Leonard, who took over the position in 2017, said: “Rachel Reeves is not a member of the Scottish Labour Party and I am elected by members of the Scottish Labour Party. That is who I am accountable to.”

He added it was “deeply disappointing that disgruntled MSPs who never supported my leadership” were now trying to “wage an internal war.” 

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme, Mr Leonard said he had received a “huge number of messages of support from right across the party and trade unions.”

He said that is confident that, as polling day approaches, “more and more” people will turn to Scottish Labour as the “political environment is changing because of the pandemic and people are re-evaluating their priorities”.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said that he has a “very good working relationship” with Mr Leonard.

He added: “We both know that we have to rebuild trust in the Labour Party and that’s what we’re doing.”