ANOTHER day, another embarrassing Scottish Labour gaffe that leaves Richard Leonard red-faced.
At the party's conference earlier this month, branch office manager Leonard had a flagship policy to reveal.
On "day one" of a Labour government in Scotland, they would introduce free bus travel for under-25s – this was more of a policy than anything he'd offered previously, and wasn't even a reserved issue!
READ MORE: Top union official slams Richard Leonard's 'failure' as Scottish Labour leader
The party's plan was to expand the Young Scot card scheme giving 16 to 18-year-olds a third off bus fares.
It probably seemed a little too good to be true for Scottish Labour supporters ... and it was.
The Herald revealed today that Labour hadn't even bothered to get in touch with Young Scot to see if their policy was possible.
It took a newspaper report last week, coming ahead of a Holyrood debate on the subject, for the organisation to learn of the proposal.
Young Scot's chief executive, Louise Macdonald OBE, said: “Young Scot was not contacted beforehand.
“On the day of the debate we noted the article in The Herald and contacted Scottish Labour to ensure the information they had was factually correct about card numbers, how the card technically operates and the current transport entitlements.
“Regarding the feasibility of the proposal, we are confident that adding such an entitlement to the card is technically possible, with appropriate robust planning with delivery partners across Scotland, including with the bus operators, as the existing discount of one third off for 16 to 18 year olds is well established."
So, possible technically, but requiring a lot of work – and the failure to contact Young Scot says quite a bit about how narrow they view their odds of having to implement that policy.
SNP Justice Secretary, and former transport secretary, Humza Yousaf got into a row with Labour's Monica Lennon over the gaffe on Twitter.
Yousaf tweeted: "Scottish Labour must apologise to the backs of envelopes and backs of fag packets everywhere for dragging their name through the mud."
Lennon hit back: "Fair play to the Justice Secretary, he thinks he’s a bit of a comedian. Seriously though, it’s disappointing he’s so against young people having access to free bus travel."
Yousaf then replied: "I think the fact you created a policy with no clue how it will be paid for, didn't inform the organisation you require to implement the uncosted policy about it and don't even know the basic numbers is the real joke here."
I think the fact you created a policy with no clue how it will be paid for, didn't inform the organisation you require to implement the uncosted policy about it and don't even know the basic numbers is the real joke here. https://t.co/TH2gJ9AU82
— Humza Yousaf (@HumzaYousaf) March 25, 2019
A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: "Young Scot has made clear that adding a new entitlement to free bus travel to under 25s to the Young Scot Card would be technically feasible with appropriate investment, robust planning and support with delivery partners across Scotland, as the existing system offering a discount of one third off for 16-18 year olds is well established."
If this is how carefully Leonard thinks it appropriate to check a flagship policy, what about the others?
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