66 Scottish Labour councillors sign letter backing Anas Sarwar for leader

66 Scottish Labour councillors have signed a letter published today endorsing Anas Sarwar to be Richard Leonard’s successor as they say he is “best placed to help rebuild” the party.

Sarwar “will create a strong opposition” to hold both the SNP Scottish administration and the UK Conservative government to account, and has “the positive ambition for an alternative vision”, the letter reads.

The local government representatives add: “As local councillors who represent diverse areas across Scotland, we know that he is committed to strengthening Scottish Labour’s position in local government.”

Leonard resigned as Scottish Labour leader with immediate effect on Thursday, following months of internal pressure on him to quit amid party disunity and poor showings in the polls ahead of Holyrood elections.

Sarwar confirmed his intention to run in The Observer, where he wrote that he will focus on “what unites us” and he is “determined to bring our movement together so that we can rebuild our party”.

Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland and shadow cabinet member, has also announced that after “discussions with party members” she will stand for the Scottish Labour leadership.

Scottish Labour’s ruling body has agreed a speedy timetable that will see a new leader elected before the end of February. Nominations open today and close at noon tomorrow.

Sarwar said: “I welcome the opportunity to put my vision to members and look forward to a friendly and positive campaign that demonstrates the very best of our party.

“Thank you to all the members, supporters, trade unionists, councillors and parliamentarians who have already said they will back my campaign to reunite Scottish Labour.

“Now more than ever, our country needs political leadership that will bring people together. I want to rebuild Scottish Labour, and then rebuild Scotland.”

Below is the full text of the letters by councillor supporting Anas Sarwar.

We, the undersigned, are backing Anas Sarwar for Scottish Labour Leader because he is the candidate best placed to help rebuild the Scottish Labour Party, to transform us into a credible opposition and a party that is fit for the future.

Over the last decade, the SNP has cut local government funding, hollowed out our local public services and halted the redistribution of power and wealth to our communities. The Tories preach their claims of success while almost a quarter of Scottish children grow up in poverty.

Anas will create a strong opposition to hold both governments to account. And he has the positive ambition for an alternative vision to rebuild Scottish Labour and rebuild Scotland, ensuring the next five years are fully focused on the real challenges facing our country through a Covid Recovery Parliament.

As local councillors who represent diverse areas across Scotland, we know that he is committed to strengthening Scottish Labour’s position in local government. We welcome his commitment to bringing our movement together and believe he should be the next leader of the Scottish Labour Party.

We look forward to working with him to create a fairer Scotland.

Signed

1. Councillor Saqib Ahmed, Glasgow
2. Councillor Robert Mooney, Glasgow
3. Councillor Monique McAdams, South Lanarkshire
4. Councillor Kirsteen Sullivan, West Lothian
5. Councillor Frank McAveety, Glasgow
6. Councillor Cammy Day, Edinburgh
7. Councillor Soryia Siddique, Glasgow
8. Councillor Deirdre MacKay, Highland
9. Councillor Jim Coleman, Glasgow
10. Councillor Kenneth Duffy, North Lanarkshire
11. Councillor Derek Bibby, Renfrewshire
12. Councillor Paul O’Kane, East Renfrewshire
13. Councillor Betty Cunningham, East Renfrewshire
14. Councillor Adam Wilson, Dumfries & Galloway
15. Councillor Alex Gallagher, North Ayrshire
16. Councillor, Bet McAllister, Highland
17. Councillor Davie Stitt, Dumfries & Galloway
18. Councillor John Martin, Dumfries & Galloway
19. Councillor Malcolm Cunning, Glasgow
20. Councillor Altany Craik, Fife
21. Councillor David McBride, West Dunbartonshire
22. Councillor Douglas McAllister, West Dunbartonshire
23. Councillor Aileen McKenzie, Glasgow
24. Councillor Heather Brannan-McVey, North Lanarkshire
25. Councillor Michael McPake, North Lanarkshire
26. Councillor Paul Kelly, North Lanarkshire
27. Councillor Louise Roarty, North Lanarkshire
28. Councillor Jim Scanlon, Glasgow
29. Councillor Elaine McDougall, Glasgow
30. Councillor Rashid Hussain, Glasgow
31. Councillor Martin McElroy, Glasgow
32. Councillor Joan Griffiths, Edinburgh
33. Councillor John Kane, Glasgow
34. Councillor Ian McNeil, North Lanarkshire
35. Councillor Angela Campbell, North Lanarkshire
36. Councillor Graham Scott, South Lanarkshire
37. Councillor Hanzala Malik, Glasgow
38. Councillor Carolann Davidson, Renfrewshire
39. Councillor Alison Dowling, Renfrewshire
40. Councillor Kevin Montgomery, Renfrewshire
41. Councillor Stephen Curran, Glasgow
42. Councillor Fiona Dugdale, East Lothian
43. Councillor Ian Perry, Edinburgh
44. Councillor Elaine Murray, Dumfries & Galloway
45. Councillor Sean Marshall, Dumfries & Galloway
46. Councillor Alan Moir, East Dunbartonshire
47. Councillor Mo Razzaq, South Lanarkshire
48. Councillor Lillian Jones, East Ayrshire
49. Councillor Jim Leishman, Fife
50. Councillor Archie Graham OBE, Glasgow
51. Councillor Kevin Keenan, Dundee
52. Councillor Paul Carey BEM, Glasgow
53. Councillor Hanif Raja, Glasgow
54. Councillor Alasdair Bailey, Perth & Kinross
55. Councillor Phillip Braat, Glasgow
56. Councillor Bert Thomson, South Lanarkshire
57. Councillor Maureen Burke, Glasgow
58. Councillor Archie Dryburgh, Dumfries & Galloway
59. Councillor Martin Rooney, West Dunbartonshire
60. Councillor Gary Gray, Glasgow
61. Councillor Eva Murray, Glasgow
62. Councillor Maureen Devlin, South Lanarkshire
63. Councillor Norman Hampshire, East Lothian
64. Councillor Tom Fisher, North Lanarkshire
65. Councillor Scott Arthur, Edinburgh
66. Councillor Mandy Watt, Edinburgh

Update, 6.20pm:

67. Councillor Tom Conn, West Lothian
68. Councillor Jim Logue, North Lanarkshire
69. Councillor Marie Garrity, Glasgow
70. Councillor Cecillia O’Lone, Glasgow
71. Councillor Nicky Shevlin, North Lanarkshire

Due to an error, Councillor Fiona O’Donnell, East Lothian was included in the initial list published by LabourList earlier today. This has now been corrected.