The leader of Scottish Labour has claimed the chances of her party winning an election under Jeremy Corbyn are “slim” to “non-existent”.
Kezia Dugdale launched a scathing attack on the embattled Westminster leader, who is facing a challenge from fellow MPs Angela Eagle and Owen Smith.
Staunch left-winger Mr Corbyn – who was elected leader last year with the support of 60% of party members and affiliates – has repeatedly refused to stand down amid a rebellion in the parliamentary Labour party after the Brexit vote.
Ms Dugdale has already said she would have resigned if she faced a similar mutiny among her own MSPs – but this is the first time she has broken cover to launch a broadside against the Labour leader.
Her intervention came as she appointed a senior anti-Corybn rebel – Labour’s only Scottish MP, Ian Murray – to her shadow cabinet in Scotland.
Edinburgh representative Mr Murray was one of those who resigned from Mr Corbyn’s frontbench team in an attempt to bring down the Labour leader – a move that drew sharp criticism from some MSPs north of the border.
Writing in a newspaper yesterday, Ms Dugdale said: “I won 72% of the vote from when I was elected leader, but if the vast majority of my MSPs didn’t have confidence in me then I couldn’t do my job.
“I don’t see how Jeremy can do his. With Jeremy as leader the chances of a UK Labour government in the near future are slim at best and non-existent at worst.
“The choice that Labour members and supporters have at this leadership election is whether we want to be a party of government with real policies that can change people’s lives, or a party purely of protest that can say what it is against but not what it is for.”
Commenting on her decision to ask Mr Murray to join her team, Ms Dugdale said: “I’m pleased to welcome Ian to my shadow cabinet.
“As Scotland’s only Labour MP, Ian has a crucial role to play in representing Scotland’s interests at Westminster and working to strengthen our party as he has done since he was re-elected last year.”
A majority of Scottish Labour MSPs have signed a statement calling for Mr Corbyn to “do the right thing” and resign – but three MSPs, including the party’s deputy leader Alex Rowley, have signalled their support for him.
When Mr Murray resigned from Mr Corbyn’s shadow cabinet last month, Mr Rowley branded the decision “disappointing”.
He added that the Edinburgh MP was putting “self-interest before the needs of the country”.
Mr Corbyn has signalled his intention to fight the leadership challenge and continue as head of the party.
