Andy Burnham will help country ‘defeat the Right’ as new chapter for Labour opens

That was the simple – powerful – message that new UK Labour Leader gave to the country on Friday.

Today, Andy Burnham will become Prime Minister and the work to bring hope back to the UK will begin.

I look forward to working closely with him to improve the lives of Scots and of people across the UK.

And in Andy Burnham we have a leader with the experience, the energy and the vision to make Scotland and the UK thrive.

As he arrives at Downing Street this morning, I know Andy is already thinking about how we face the challenges before us with hope, ambition and determination.

And he has the full support of the Scottish Labour Party as he sets out his vision for the country and how we empower working people.

It is on all of us that believe in progress, in decency and in unity that Andy Burnham and this Labour government succeed in their work.

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Because the truth is the stakes could not be higher

The hard right are tireless in their efforts to spread fear, despair and division across the UK.

We are facing nothing less than a fight for the heart and soul of our country.

Is this country in the hands of the government that it elected to improve public services, create opportunity and improve lives?

Or is this country in the hands of the new radical right – led by Nigel Farage and paid for by shadowy crypto billionaires – and focused on nothing apart from spreading hatred and lining their own pockets?

That is the choice and those are the battlelines that have been drawn.

It’s hope vs hate.

It’s progress vs reaction.

And it is the politics of unity vs the politics of endless division.

This is a fight we must win, and I know with the help of Record readers that this is a fight we will win.

And the way that we win is clear – make life better for working people.

As Andy Burnham said on Friday, for too long we have had a system which left working people feeling powerless and overlooked.

While some in our society thrived, whole swathes of Scotland and the rest of the UK were overlooked.

And what has been the result of that?

In Scotland we have crumbling public services and a SNP government that relies on passing the blame and pointing the finger for survival.

And in towns and cities across the UK this summer, we have seen anger reach boiling point.

It’s time to end this once and for all.

We can empower working people by devolving power into their communities so that they can make the decisions that effect their lives.

We can work with business to increase economic growth and create jobs so that there is more money in workers’ pockets and more money in the economy.

And we can be steadfast in our Labour values of solidarity, of unity and of equality.

Confident in our values – optimistic about our future – and working day and night to make your lives better.

This is how we defeat the right – this is how we win.

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The Commonwealth Games kicks off this week in Glasgow, and I cannot wait to cheer on our brilliant Team Scotland athletes.

It will be fantastic for them to compete in front of a passionate home crowd, and I hope they will be able to pick up plenty of medals.

Of course, the Games are not only a brilliant opportunity to take in different sports, but it also brings visitors to the city and generates an economic boost as a result.

We saw in 2014 when the city last hosted the Games the positivity and excitement it generated.

But can we honestly say that Glasgow is in a better state now then it was 12 years ago?

The sad reality is that under the SNP – at both Holyrood and in Glasgow City Council – the city has been badly neglected.

This city is my home and it’s a place I’ve always loved. But people here deserve better.

We need those in power to support Glasgow, get the city cleaned up, and restore it to looking its best.

Let us use these Games as a chance to reinvigorate Glasgow with a positive legacy that will last.

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What a World Cup that was.

Congratulations to last night’s winners on being crowned world champions.

And thanks again to the Scotland team and staff for taking us back onto the world stage – where we belong.

With no football for a few weeks, I have no idea what to watch in the evenings now!

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