Scottish Labour MSP Katy Clark has said a woman must be guaranteed a place in future leadership contests, after Monica Lennon failed to secure enough nominations to stand.
Call for rule change
Clark described the current contest, between male candidates Michael Marra and Joe Fagan, as a “double insult” and called for a shake-up of the rules to end what she called the “effective veto for MPs”.
To join the race, contenders needed support from three Labour MSPs, three Scottish Labour MPs, two trade unions and other support. Lennon was backed by major unions like Unison and Unite but missed out by one MP.
Clark's comments
Clark, who nominated Lennon, said: "It cannot be right that any candidate who is backed by a number of the biggest unions doesn’t make the ballot. The last thing we should be doing is narrowing the debate during a contest and reducing the options for members.”
She added: "We need to look at the rules again. Whilst I agree that 3 out of 37 MPs is not a high bar, it cannot be acceptable to only have male continuity candidates with seemingly similar views, and for MPs to effectively block an MSP from putting their name before members. Members are being denied a proper choice."
Proposal for guaranteed slot
Clark said the party must agree that any MSP candidate with sizeable trade union support should be on the ballot, and that there must be a guaranteed slot for at least one woman parliamentarian in leadership contests, similar to selection processes that have improved women’s representation.
She said: "Frankly, Scottish Labour needs to prevent a repeat performance."
A party source questioned Clark's backing for Lennon, calling it a “lukewarm” endorsement. The insider suggested the proposal could pave the way for Clark to stand in a future deputy leadership contest. A second left-wing MSP, Carol Mochan, also nominated Lennon, but a source said she did so at the eleventh hour without informing her in advance.
