WE’RE all used to Richard Leonard and his Scottish Labour colleagues being a bit behind.
We’ve all got fond memories of them demanding Nicola Sturgeon publish the evidence behind Scotland’s Covid lockdown rules, only to be told that they already had.
We’ll all look back and smile on the time Ian Murray, Labour’s only Scottish MP, went in all-guns-blazing at the SNP for not voting for Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal, only to find out his MSP colleagues weren’t voting for it either.
Perhaps memories are all they’ll be now.
READ MORE: IN FULL: Richard Leonard's resignation statement as Labour leader
Staying true to form, and about four months behind the calls from inside his party, Leonard has resigned his role as leader.
Oh well, out with the old, in with the new. But who exactly will be coming in? Let’s take a look at the main contenders.
Monica Lennon:
Lennon has been riding a wave recently. The period poverty bill she spearheaded from the grassroots became law, meaning Scotland is now the first country in the world to provide free period products to all.
The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act passed unanimously and won Lennon international acclaim.
The achievement meant she was named one of Vogue’s top 12 female leaders who changed the world in 2020, alongside Nicola Sturgeon, Angela Merkel, Jacinda Ardern, and Kamala Harris.
Lennon seems a solid pick, and has previously said she would like to see Scottish Labour split from the main UK party, something that may help their ailing fortunes. Given Scottish Labour’s fondness for self-immolation, it almost certainly won’t be her then.
Anas Sarwar:
Sarwar has a solid CV, having previously been the deputy leader of the Scottish Labour party, an MP, and now an MSP. Early reports are also saying he’s the favourite.
Sarwar went up against Leonard for the top job in 2017, and lost out by 12,469 votes to 9516 (56.7% against 43.3%). Seen as the right-wing candidate in that battle, Sarwar has previously described himself as a “Brownite”. That’s brave considering we all know how well liked Gordon Brown is nowadays.
If Sarwar were to take the helm it may herald a move towards a more centrist Labour, like the party down in London took after Jeremy Corbyn’s departure.
READ MORE: Here are five of Richard Leonard's worst gaffes as he quits as Labour leader
Jackie Baillie:
The current deputy leader and staunch Unionist, Baillie is not in everyone’s good books. Although she’ll be interim leader for now, it doesn’t seem too likely she’ll take the top job.
Baillie made headlines last year for helping George Foulkes in his efforts to get Nicola Sturgeon’s daily Covid briefings off the BBC, efforts which went down like a tonne of bricks with just about everyone but the Tories.
The Guardian reported that Baillie hopes to launch an immediate and fast-tracked leadership election to guarantee Leonard’s successor is in post well before the Holyrood election.
Keir Starmer:
The Scottish Labour branch may just do away with all pretence and appoint Starmer to the top job, he pulls the strings anyway really, doesn’t he?
Gordon Brown:
The Jouker will admit, Gordon Brown didn't make this list originally (not least due to the fact that he's not even an elected politician anymore).
However, when we saw the case for him taking the role being made (unironically) online, we had to give him a showing.
George Eaton, an editor at The New Statesman, wrote: "Given how high the stakes are, there's surely a case for Gordon Brown becoming Scottish Labour leader." He also shared the former Prime Minister's recent essay on "how to save the UK".
Could Brown be coming back? We'll believe it when we see it.
Tony Blair:
If you're going to bring back Gordon Brown, why stop there? Why not bring back Blair? Why not bring back the whole team of '97?
It seems Scottish Labour are running out of ideas anyway, and Blair didn't half win that election almost 25 years ago.
This former prime minister has reportedly signalled his aim to pull a Charles de Gaulle and re-enter politics over a decade after leaving it.
He's apparently had secret talks with both Matt Hancock and Baroness Harding about Covid strategy, so he has connections in London, an essential qualification for any Scottish Labour leader.
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