Scottish Labour Leadership Farce, free speech for Labour members banned at hustings as history is rewritten to paint millionaire Anas Sarwar as a socialist, if you pay money as a member then you are entitled to question candidates and not have them screened out to produce a ‘fairytale’, the 'many' can't question the 'few'

Dear All

It seems that the Scottish Labour Party in the shape of chair Linda Stewart decided to ban people’s right to free speech at Labour leadership hustings. As many people know the Scottish Labour is sinking, where it was seen once as the force in Scottish politics, it now trails in third place.

It was entirely wrong to attempt to rewrite history by banned questions about candidates' finances; it is for members to ask searching questions of anyone who puts themselves forward to be leader. Last night was a farce, and rightly branded so, if anything, the stupidity by the chair only fanned the flames that Anas Sarwar is one of the few.

Lat night the ‘many’ where banned from asking the ‘few’ to be truthful and open!

So, what was the point of last night’s stage managed event with allegedly pre-scripted questions?

There was no point, Scottish Labour want people to pay £12 to vote in the Scottish Labour race to decide if Srawar or Leonard should be leader, so what are you paying for if you can’t ask questions?

Who was the winner last night, by default, it was Richard Leonard because clearly the chair was in the wrong by her actions.

Was

Labour leadership race branded farce as 'hot' hustings questions are banned

Questions about candidates' finances were banned at first hustings amid controversy over the wealthy background of hopeful Anas Sarwar.

Chair Linda Stewart unveiled the ground-rules of the farce, she said there should be no questions “about a candidate’s marital status, domestic circumstances, nor pertaining to the candidates’ financial arrangements”. Anas Sarwar has questions to answer to members about his decision to send his children to private school and the fact his family’s firm are not unionised and don’t pay the real living wage.

It seems that being a millionaire in the Scottish Labour Party has privileges.

The event was a disaster for Scottish Labour which appears to be attempting to keep the Blair Faction or Progress in control of the party in Scotland, to me it seems that if Sarwar wins then Momentum gets their Scottish fight.

Anas Sarwar was quick to jump on a BBC reporter over his personal life saying he should be talking about policy instead, but this shows Anas up as a hypocrite as he calls on Nicola Sturgeon to sack Health Secretary Shona Robison. It seems that Anas is like Marie Antoinette, he wants his cake and eat it as well.

Richard Leonard, who is being backed by supporters of Jeremy Corbyn, said he wanted to “reconnect” with the trade union movement if he becomes leader. Given there is trade union in Anas Sarwar’s family business, this will get him many votes.

Leonard added:

“I am a democratic socialist motivated by the desire to change society for the better of the many not the few.”

And to show that the winds of change at least outside the party favour him over Anas Sarwar, three unions declared support for Leonard.

I don’t know of any trade union in Scotland backing Anas Sarwar or likely to back him in the future.

So, let’s get right down to it, who do the SNP and the Scottish Conservatives want as Labour leader in Scotland?

Anas Sarwar!

Anas Sarwar increases the chances of the SNP hanging on to power because he won’t attract voters back to the party, and if the Conservatives stand a real chance in 2021, then they need a member of the Blair Faction in place.

Paying £12 to vote in a contest where you aren’t allowed to exercise free speech in a party that claims it believes in social justice is a joke; there are better ways to spend £12.

Finally, last night another win for Richard Leonard!

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University