Ken Macintosh asks for changes to be made to Scottish Leadership contest rules

Ken Macintosh MSP, who is considering standing to be the next leader of the Scottish Labour Party, has written to the outgoing leader Jim Murphy, the Chair of the Scottish Executive Committee and to the General Secretary of the Scottish Labour Party to ask for changes to be made to the way a new party leader is elected.

In an open letter, Macintosh he asks that Scottish Labour Party elect its new leader by using One Member One Vote system and that they move to a system of open primaries.

In line with Labour’s London Mayoral contest, Macintosh proposes that Scottish Labour offers people who aren’t members an opportunity to join the party as a supporter, so that they are eligible to in the leadership election.

He also asks that they have the contest before the summer, which would be different from the leadership elections for the Labour Party.

Macintosh also argues that the problems facing Scottish Labour won’t just be remedied by election a new leader but that the party need radical change to repair its relationship with the people in Scotland.

Macintosh explained:

“I have written to our party’s outgoing Leader, our Chair and our General Secretary with proposals which I believe, if adopted, will allow us to begin the immediate process of rebuilding the bonds of trust and confidence that we have lost with the people of Scotland.

This is a time of exceptional political engagement in Scotland and people have never been so active in the politics of our country.  I want to enlist their help in re-shaping and rebuilding the Scottish Labour Party.  I am not going to make bland assertions of seeking party unity if that means protecting or preserving the influence of vested interests, but reclaim this party for the people we seek to represent.

I believe holding open primaries throughout Scotland will offer Scottish Labour a real opportunity to engage with a politically energised electorate, to listen to their concerns, their hopes and their aspirations and allow our movement to share our principles and our passion for Scotland free from the constraints of an election.

Scottish Labour will rebuild and that process can begin with a robust, open and transparent leadership contest.”