Labour MSP Ken Macintosh declares as a contender for the leadership of the Labour Party in Scotland, are we seeing future First Minister of Scotland?

Dear All

For some considerable time, I have been writing that the new Labour leader in Scotland is going to be Labour MSP Ken Macintosh.

That has taken a step closer with Ken Macintosh's announcement to enter the race.

I said he would be Labour leader, which was easy considering the talent pool to pick from, and I will be able to say soon when he is elected, that George Laird was right again.

The Labour Party is going through a period of reform, which will form the largest changes for the Labour Party in Scotland "for 90 years".

These reforms have been backed by the Scottish Executive Committee.

So, we have a three horse race, as Ken Macintosh has joined the party's deputy leader Johann Lamont and MP Tom Harris in the battle to replace Iain Gray.

Glasgow University product Johann Lamont is not a leader of men, a key requirement to lead a country and has no vision.

Tom Harris isn’t top drawer, no matter how much interest he tries to build up around himself, he simply doesn’t generate respect.

That leaves Ken Macintosh as the real and only option.

So, what are the reforms, for the first time; an elected leader of the Scottish Labour Party.

However, anyone applying must "commit to seek election" as an MSP and become Labour's candidate for First Minister at the next elections.

The changes are the result of a review of the party following its election defeat in May.

They didn’t have George Laird radical thinking or vision.

Tom Harris also reconfirmed his intention to stand for Holyrood at the 2016 elections and to step down from Westminster as soon as possible afterwards.

But that is a gamble because he will have to find a seat, which will probably be Cathcart, a constituency in flux.

Harris has a track record in the area and might be able to take it away from the SNP because of his Westminster status.

But, at present, it would be hard to say a win is certain without more analysis of the area.

And I doubt he will win the contest, as I say, it will be Macintosh.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University