04 July 2008
Labour faces a crucial by-election in Scotland without a Scottish leader, following the surprise resignation of Wendy Alexander.
The party announced on July 2 that it would postpone the contest for her replacement until after the by-election in Glasgow East on July 24. It does not expect a new leader to be in place until September.
Alexander resigned after she had been suspended from the Scottish Parliament for one day. This followed a ruling by Holyrood's standards commissioner that she had broken the rules by failing to register on time donations received for her election campaign last year.
Her decision coincided with Glasgow East MP David Marshall announcing that he was stepping down on grounds of ill health, triggering a by-election.
Possible contenders for Alexander's replacement include former health minister Andy Kerr, the party's Scottish public services spokesman; Iain Gray, finance spokesman; Margaret Curran, former communities minister; Cathy Jamieson, now acting leader; and Charles Gordon, the former leader of Glasgow City Council and currently an MSP.
Following a meeting of Labour Scottish Executive officials on July 2, Scottish general secretary Colin Smyth said the timetable for the leadership contest would start at the end of July, after the by-election.
He added: 'This will allow for a full debate that involves all the members of the Labour Party right across Scotland, with hustings and local meetings. 'We anticipate that a new leader of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament will be in place before the end of September.'
The decision to postpone the contest reflects Labour's belief that it will need to concentrate all its energies on retaining Glasgow East, which is crucial in view of the party's disasters in Crewe & Nantwich and Henley.
Although Glasgow East is solid Labour territory, the by-election comes as the popularity of the nationalists is on the increase and morale in Labour low. SNP leader and First Minister Alex Salmond said his party would give the by-election the 'biggest possible go we can.'
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