Scottish GMB Statement on Labour Leadership

GMB Scotland Statement: Labour Leadership Ballot

GMB Scotland has been consistently clear that the Labour Party’s problems in Scotland cannot be attributed to one person alone and extends far beyond one electoral cycle.
It is also clear that the party as a whole is not fully focused on fixing the problems affecting so many people across Scotland and the rest of the UK.
Labour cannot hope to regain its electoral relevance unless it unites and starts acting as the party of labour, standing on a platform that is relevant to the lives of all working people.
In Scotland, Labour’s decline over the last decade has been stark.
Opinion polls now consistently show declining support among the Scottish electorate, both in Holyrood or Westminster and the party now sits in third place behind the Tories after the recent Scottish Parliament elections.
Therefore, GMB Scotland sees no merit in a ballot of our entire Scottish membership on the question of the UK Labour leadership when the party’s resonance is so minimal.
Instead, our party members in GMB Scotland will make up their own minds through their own private vote and we will make members aware about how they can participate and who is eligible.
In the meantime our focus has to be on the defending the interests of our members against a backdrop of constitutional, economic and employment uncertainty.

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Contact: Peter Welsh, GMB Scotland Communications, on 07976 447 077