Scottish Labour MP Brian Leishman has said that if the government is not working, 'tactics and personnel' must change, adding that Labour has 'not been good enough' since the 2024 election.
Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland on Monday, Leishman, who represents the Alloa and Grangemouth seat at Westminster, said the first two years of Sir Keir Starmer's premiership have been 'overshadowed by a catalogue of misjudgements, political missteps, a kind of smattering of scandal as well that's lingered around Keir Starmer's premiership'.
'It's just not good enough,' he said. 'After 14 years of austerity that has crippled and immiserated communities the length and breadth of the United Kingdom, people voted for change and people are not seeing that change or feeling that change quickly enough.'
Pressure mounts on Starmer
Pressure has been mounting on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to stand down, with the election of former Manchester mayor Andy Burnham in the Makerfield by-election last week paving the way for him to challenge Sir Keir for Downing Street.
Leishman, a regular critic of the government, said that regardless of who is in leadership roles, there has to be a 'real sea change' in government. 'What really has to happen is we have to govern by real Labour Party values and that is the redistribution of power, wealth and opportunity across society for the millions that have been the victims of that chronic austerity that I mentioned there,' he said.
No new election needed
Leishman said that if a new leader does win the keys to Downing Street, there should not be another election. 'I don't think that that's a sensible way of trying to govern the country,' he said.
He added: 'We've still got over halfway to go (of the parliamentary term). We can still impact a positive change that really will make the country a much fairer place. It's crucial, it's imperative now that we get a change in leader, change in political direction and make that change happen.'
