UNISON Scotland Labour Link committee met today (Friday) and issued a robust statement of support for Richard Leonard. The statement decried Mr Leonard’s critics as “self interested career politicians” Who were failing to represent “core Labour values”. The statement also said the party needs “fresh voices” representing Labour in next year’s election.
Gordon McKay, Chair of UNISON Scotland Labour Link Scotland said:
“Our committee had a scheduled meeting with Richard today we assured him of our support and solidarity.
‘The sense of anger and frustration at the situation was palpable amongst the committee. Richard assured us he was not going anywhere and was focussed on the real task in hand of continuing to hold the SNP to account whilst building the case for Labour values and public services at next year’s elections. We are clear that should be the sole focus of every Labour politician between now and then.’
For further info please contact
Gordon McKay 07808 067988 / Simon MacFarlane (Regional Organiser) 07703 194132
Stephen Low 07956 852822
Notes for Editors
Full statement approved by UNISON Labour Link:
The UNISON Scotland Labour Link Committee met today and fully backed Richard Leonard as leader of the Scottish Labour Party. UNISON Labour Link nominated Richard to be leader and believes Richard remains best placed to lead us into the forthcoming elections. UNISON members know as well as anyone that in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic politics is a life and death matter. The self-interested comments from some career politicians is a needless distraction from the real issues that are affecting public service workers.
In recent weeks Labour under Richard has made the running on the exam fiasco that disproportionately impacted on working class children, the scandal of transferring covid positive patients in to care homes and pushed the SNP in to adopting our policy for a National Care Service. These are vital issues that concern our members, many of whom are key workers.
The pandemic has shown the power of collective action, purpose and most of all solidarity – all of which are core labour movement values. Those who are shouting against a Labour leader elected by public service workers don’t represent those values and they don’t represent UNISON. The job of Labour politicians should be to abolish the House of Lords not to attack democratically elected leaders from it. In recent weeks the Labour Party has been urging key workers to come forward as candidates, the actions of some MSPs show why we need fresh voices representing Labour as we head into next year’s election.