Timetable for Scottish Labour leader selection announced

Scottish Labour will have a new leader by Christmas, it has been decided. After a short meeting this afternoon, the Scottish Labour Party’s Executive Committee has drawn up the process and timetable for selecting the new leader, following Johann Lamont’s resignation on Friday night.

The race will officially begin tomorrow, Monday 27th October, when candidates are invited to start making their declarations. You can catch up on who the potential candidates are here, although it is now understood that Gordon Brown has ruled himself out of contention.

The selection will take place under the same rules as 2011 (and the 2010 UK Labour leadership race), as the Collins Review into party reform does not apply to Scottish Labour Party structures.

This means that candidates will seek to be nominated by MPs, MSPs and MEPs – these nominations will be open between Friday October 31st and Tuesday November 4th. The leader will then be chosen by three colleges: Scottish Labour members; elected representatives (MSPs, Scottish MPs, and MEPs); and affiliates (members of trade unions and socialist societies). The ballot will open on Monday 17th November. The new leader will be announced on Saturday 13th December.

We expect candidates will take advantage of the quick start and will begin announcing their intentions tomorrow.

Following the meeting, Chair of the Scottish Labour Party, Jamie Glackin said:

“The Scottish Executive Committee agreed unanimously on the timetable and process for electing a new leader to take the Scottish Labour Party forward. 

“I am pleased the timetable will balance the need for a speedy transition with the clear desire among members to both make their voice heard and hear the prospective cases from the candidates for leader.”

“A number of events will be held across Scotland before Scottish Labour’s new leader is announced on December 13th and I look forward to working with whoever the new leader is to take forward Labour values into Government in 2015 and 2016.” 

Interim leader Anas Sarwar MP said,

“What was clear from the meeting was a real determination to make sure our focus over the coming weeks and months was to expose the failings of both the Tory and SNP Governments and to work with whoever the new leader is to deliver a Labour Government at next year’s General Election.”

“This cannot be a process that only looks internally but crucially gives the party and the party members the opportunity to debate Scottish Labour’s vision for Scotland.”