Exclusive:Labour figures in firing line amid anger over Holyrood election defeat
The autopsy over Labour’s campaign for the Holyrood election is well underway
Scottish Labour’s powerful ruling body is poised to vent its frustration at senior politicians behind the party’s flawed Holyrood campaign.
Insiders have told The Scotsman that Michael Marra, thought to be earmarked as the next Scottish Labour leader, is being blamed for the defeat after drawing up the party’s policy platform and manifesto.
There is also anger being thrown at deputy leader Jackie Baillie’s “grip on the party machinery”, while Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander is also in the firing line for the party’s flawed focus on claiming it could win 38 constituencies.
Mr Marra, who was returned to Holyrood on the North East Scotland regional list for Scottish Labour, was largely responsible for setting out the party’s policy platform to contest last week’s election, as well as playing a crucial role in pulling together the manifesto.
The Dundee-based MSP, who was previously an adviser to former Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray, was given policy responsibility ahead of the 2011 Holyrood election in which the party also slumped to defeat as Alex Salmond secured a majority of seats for the SNP.
A prominent member of Labour’s powerful Scottish Executive Committee (SEC) told The Scotsman that following the election defeat, there is “lots of unhappiness with the (policy) platform”, adding that Mr Marra was “getting the blame”.
The source accused Mr Marra of having “completely neutered the policy process”, arguing that he “did to us this year what he did to us in 2011”.
The SEC is due to hold a crunch meeting on Saturday in which Mr Sarwar’s leadership could face a vote of no confidence.
The SEC insider said the frustration was not just coming from the left and soft left of Scottish Labour.
They said: “Some of Anas' supporters think Marra has just been thinking of himself all along.”
The source also pointed to "frustration" at Ms Baillie’s “grip on the party machinery”.
“A lot of us who've been loyal up until now and said nothing want to see that end”, they added.
“Douglas (Alexander) is getting a lot of the blame too and a feeling that he should carry the can for the constituency focus.”
The source explained that Mr Sarwar was “the one coming off most lightly”.
They added: “He's never been expected to be a strategist or policy heavyweight.
“His strength has always been being a good communicator and, to be fair, he's seen as having done that well. It's just everything else that fell apart.”
Another member of the SEC told The Scotsman that "Anas's team can point the finger all they want at Westminster, and it's not without good reason, but Michael's policy choices were weak and Douglas was completely absent from the campaign".
They added: "With what is going in at Westminster, Anas and his team are hoping their role in the loss will be swept under the carpet, but somebody has to take responsibility."
Mr Sarwar told journalists at Holyrood his role was to “hold my party together” and “be an effective opposition in this parliament”.
But he acknowledged that “I have to take my fair share of responsibility in that election campaign”.
Scottish Labour did not respond to requests for comment. Mr Marra was also contacted directly.
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.