GLASGOW MSP Pauline McNeill has announced she will run to replace Lesley Laird in Scottish Labour's deputy leader position.
Former MP and shadow Scottish secretary Laird lost her Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath seat in last month's General Election, quitting her deputy leader role shortly after.
It had been suggested that McNeill and fellow MSP Jackie Baillie would run for the deputy leadership position on a job-share basis, but yesterday it emerged that party rules would not allow for such a move.
Baillie announced she would run independently of McNeill yesterday, saying she was "disappointed" but would "look forward to working with her to rebuild our beloved party regardless".
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She went on: “Voters lost trust in our leadership and were confused by our manifesto.
"The inconsistent message that came from senior figures within the Labour Party on the two biggest issues facing Scottish voters – Scottish independence and Brexit – meant that the electorate did not know what the party stood for and instead went elsewhere.”
McNeill, who was MSP for Glasgow Kelvin from 1999 to 2011 and is now a regional list MSP, posted on Twitter this morning to say after some thought she had decided she too would run.
She tweeted: "After considering my position over night on The Scottish Labour Deputy Leader Vacancy I have decided to run. I appreciate the messages of support for the joint ticket. I will now be seeking nominations today."
The only other candidate in the race so far is Michael Marra, a Labour councillor for Dundee.
A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: “Scottish Labour’s procedures clearly state that individual Scottish Labour councillors, MSPs and MPs will each be able to nominate themselves or one Scottish Labour councillor, MSP or MP for the position of deputy leader.”
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