{Our old friend Fifi La Bonbon of Scotsmans comments fame, known as Kezia in real life has given the record an exclusive interview, instead of castigating readers in her column, and said: My first priority as british labour northern branch deputy manager will be: To get Milli in number 10. “I am standing for tomorrow’s Scotland and that is about a country that is free of poverty and injustice but focused on chancers,” she said. Oops! A killing typo} KEZIA Dugdale today launches her Scottish Labour deputy leadership bid with a pledge to help turf David Cameron out of Downing Street. The Lothian MSP said her “relentless focus” if she is elected deputy would be to make sure Labour win power in May’s general election. Dugdale has emerged as the favourite to replace current deputy Anas Sarwar, who announced his resignation at a Labour Party gala event last week . She has already secured the support of 11 fellow Labour MSPs and MPs – enough to ensure her place on the ballot paper. In an exclusive interview, the Daily Record columnist said she wanted to “win back the trust of Scotland” for the Labour Party and take the fight to the Tories and the SNP. “I am standing for tomorrow’s Scotland and that is about a country that is free of poverty and injustice but focused on chances,” she said. “That’s the chance of a decent job, a decent education and decent childcare that doesn’t cost twice your rent. “For me, that has got to be Labour’s crusade and it has got to guide everything that we do. But before we can do that we have to earn trust. “My focus is to get the Tories out of No10. “Ed Miliband has laid out a platform to do that. A mansion tax to create jobs for young people. An energy freeze to take on the vested interests so people aren’t afraid of turning the heating on. A focus on the cost of living. I think Ed Miliband’s platform is a strong one and I am excited about taking it out on the doorsteps and rebuilding that trust.” Sarwar stood down as deputy in the wake of the resignation of Scots leader Johann Lamont . East Renfrewshire MP Jim Murphy is favourite to become the new leader although there are questions over how he could battle First Minister in waiting Nicola Sturgeon while still an MP. If Dugdale was elected deputy to Murphy, it would fall to her to take on Sturgeon in the weekly First Minister Question sessions at Holyrood. “First and foremost I won’t be opposing the SNP for the sake of it,” she said. “Labour have got to start telling people who we are and what we believe in. “We have got a proud record. We are the party of the NHS, the minimum wage and the Scottish Parliament. “Those were bold ideas for a time of great need and we need to get back to that mission again of what it is that the Labour Party stand for and what we are going to do for working people. “For me that is jobs, education and childcare.” The scale of the challenge facing the new Labour leadership was laid bare last week by two opinion polls suggesting they’re on course to lose all but a few of their Scots seats at Westminster. Asked about the polls, Dugdale said: “I think it’s because we spent the last two years talking about constitutional politics and not being clear about how the Labour Party can make people’s lives better. “We have got to get back to that.” Dugdale revealed she has appointed MSP Neil Bibby and MP Ian Murray to help run her campaign and will be launching a dedicated website today. On Saturday, left-wing MP Katy Clark became the first to formally enter the race for the deputy leader job. The North Ayrshire and Arran MP said she was determined that it would not be “business as usual” for Labour after the crisis sparked by Lamont’s resignation. “The vast majority of people want a secure job, a decent home and access to good quality public services,” she said. “This is prevented for too many by wealth being held in the hands of a minority. “It is unacceptable in the 21st century that people have to queue at a foodbank to feed their children. These are the issues I will be addressing throughout the campaign.” Clark has only received the support of five MPs and MSPs so needs to win the backing of five more before nominations close tomorrow to secure her place on the ballot.
Posted on: Mon, 03 Nov 2014 11:30:29 +0000
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