A senior Scottish Labour councillor has said his party should become independent to escape Westminster’s “Netflix-style” politics.
Kenneth Duffy, who is also the provost of North Lanarkshire, said Scottish Labour had to break the “electoral link” with the UK party for Holyrood elections.
Anas Sarwar’s party went down to its fifth defeat in a row to the SNP in May, delivering its lowest tally of MSPs.
Keir Starmer’s unpopularity has been cited as a key reason for the defeat, with Sarwar’s allies saying Scottish Labour’s fortunes were tied to the UK Party.
The loss has now fuelled calls for Labour to breakaway at a Holyrood level and become an independent party in their own right.
Jack McConnel, who stood for the party in the Scottish Parliament election, has launched a new campaign group calling for a split.
He said he has been inundated with support for his ‘Just for Scotland’ initiative.
Duffy, who works for MP Pamela Nash, is backing the campaign.
The North Lanarkshire councillor told the Record: “Just For Scotland is starting an exciting honest conversation about our Party’s future. Losing should never be the norm in party politics, failure isn’t inevitable.
“The world is changing rapidly, and social divides are deepening. We must try something different, because standing still isn’t an option. The status quo isn’t working.
“Scotland’s identity has always come from the voices of families and communities the length and breadth of the country. It’s our job to stand up for them and finally challenge the SNP’s generational grip on power.”
He continued: “Scottish Labour has undergone multiple policy reviews and changes of leadership, but support remains in freefall.
“The danger lies in the fact that necessary criticisms of SNP failings have gradually created an “anti-everything” impression that voters are increasingly convinced constitutes what we offer, habitual opposition rather than alternative vision.
“Scottish Labour must escape Westminster’s Netflix style politics, that ceaseless loop of performative drama and London centric point scoring to cement themselves as a confident, tough party with firm Scottish foundations focused on the issues that matter, here in Scotland.”
“This is something that we can already see in Labour-run councils across Scotland. We need to break the electoral link between the UK and Scottish parties in Holyrood elections, and begin to be seen to stand up for Scotland. “
He added: “Andy Burnham’s win is fantastic but as things stand, a 2031 Holyrood election will still be seen as a midterm of a Westminster Parliament. This leaves Scotland’s NHS, education, policing and economy vulnerable to yet another SNP government.”
McConnel said: “It’s great to have Kenny join the campaign. He’s got so much experience in local government and across our movement.
“Our party will never again win a Scottish Parliament election with organisational or policy adjustments, and 2031 will yet again be seen as a midterm of a Westminster Parliament.“We must not abandon Scotland’s NHS, Scotland’s schools & colleges, Scotland’s transport and Scotland’s policing to the SNP in 2031. Scotland is just too important not to do the hard work of changing ourselves so we can change Scotland.”
Scottish Labour’s governing body is currently undertaking a review of the defeat that will look at the relationship with the UK party.
A final report will likely be issued no later than September 12th.
Insiders say Sarwar, who grew exasperated at Starmer’s unpopularity on the doors, may see the review as a potential “legacy” for himself.
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Sarwar is expected to resign as party leader later this year.