2020 Scottish Labour deputy leadership election

The 2020 Scottish Labour deputy leadership election was triggered on 16 December 2019 following the defeat of Lesley Laird as MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath in the 2019 United Kingdom general election.[1] The result of the Deputy Leadership Election was announced on Twitter on 3 April 2020.[2]

2020 Scottish Labour deputy leadership election
21 February – 3 April 2020 (2020-02-21 – 2020-04-03)
Turnout50.6%
 
Candidate Jackie Baillie Matt Kerr
Popular vote 10,311 7,528
Percentage 57.8 42.19
MP/ MSP/ Cllr Nominations 60 33
Deputy Leader before election

Lesley Laird

 Elected Deputy Leader

Jackie Baillie

Background

The 2019 United Kingdom general election saw the Scottish National Party (SNP) regain 13 of the 21 seats they lost in 2017. One of those won was Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, the seat of Scottish Labour Deputy Leader and Shadow Scottish Secretary, Lesley Laird. Despite the seat being a gain for the SNP, the new MP, Neale Hanvey sat as an Independent until May 2020 due to an investigation into anti-semitic posts online.[3][4][5]

Procedure

As with the previous leadership election, the election was held under one-person-one-vote from an electorate of members, affiliated supporters and registered supporters.

Leadership candidates needed to be an MP, MSP or MEP, and need the support of at least 15%, or five, of the thirty-two Scottish Labour MPs, MSPs. They will also need nominations from 5% of local parties or three affiliates, including two trade unions, comprising 5% of affiliated membership, to get on the ballot paper.

Timetable
13 January Nominations open
14 January Registered supporters applications open
16 January Registered supporters applications close
19 January Nominations closed
20 January Opening of CLP and affiliate nominations. Scottish Labour Party hustings period open. Freeze date for membership and supporter eligibility at 5PM
3 February Last day for affiliates to send over new and updated affiliated supporter lists
14 February Close of CLP and affiliate nominations and last day for membership to be in full compliance (including full payment of arrears).
21 February Voting opens
27 February Last date for postal ballot reissues
30 March Last date for email ballot reissues
2 April Ballot closes (12PM)
3 April Announcement of results

[6]

Campaign

Initially Jackie Baillie and fellow MSP Pauline McNeill were planning to run on a platform of job-sharing the role.[7] However, it was found that this would not be possible due to the party's constitution.[8] Pauline McNeill and Baillie subsequently stood separately in the election.

Following the close of nominations on 19 January, Dundee Councillor Michael Marra did not receive sufficient nominations to advance to the next round of the campaign.[9] The same day, McNeill announced that she would also withdraw from the contest, leaving a two way campaign between Baillie and Matt Kerr.[10]

Kerr has been described as left-wing, having strong ties with the trade union movement, and being a supporter of Jeremy Corbyn.[11] Kerr supports the devolution of trade union and employment law, inclusive Constituency Labour Parties (CLP's) that are rooted in communities, open selections, and the creation of an accredited political academy to help develop new political talent.[12]

Candidates
Candidate Political roles Nominations from MSPs, MPs and Cllrs[13] Supporting nominations from Constituency Labour Parties[14] Supporting nominations from affiliated Trade Unions, Groups and Socialist Societies[14] Endorsements
Jackie Baillie[10] MSP for Dumbarton
(since 1999)		 60
Nominations
MSPs (11)
Scottish MPs (1)
Councillors (48)
  • Cllr Saqib Ahmed
  • Cllr Shamin Akhtar
  • Cllr Scott Arthur
  • Cllr Derek Bibby
  • Cllr Jim Blackwood
  • Cllr Olivia Carson
  • Cllr Tom Conn
  • Cllr Carolann Davidson
  • Cllr Cammy Day
  • Cllr Gerry Dorrian
  • Cllr Barry Douglas
  • Cllr Alison Dowling
  • Cllr Archie Dryburgh
  • Cllr Joe Fagan
  • Cllr Lawrence Fitzpatrick
  • Cllr Jim Fletcher
  • Cllr Alex Gallagher
  • Cllr Mary Gourlay
  • Cllr Allan Graham
  • Cllr Joan Griffiths
  • Cllr Rashid Hussain
  • Cllr Jean Jones
  • Cllr Kevin Keenan
  • Cllr Paul Kelly
  • Cllr Stewart MacDonald
  • Cllr Hanzala Malik
  • Cllr Sean Marshall
  • Cllr John Martin
  • Cllr Monique McAdams
  • Cllr Douglas McAllister
  • Cllr David McBride
  • Cllr Frank McNally
  • Cllr Heather McVey
  • Cllr John Millar
  • Cllr Kevin Montgomery
  • Cllr Elaine Murray
  • Cllr Paul O’Kane
  • Cllr Claire Quigley
  • Cllr Hanif Raja
  • Cllr Mo Razzaq
  • Cllr Louise Roarty
  • Cllr Martin Rooney
  • Cllr James Scanlon
  • Cllr Graham Scott
  • Cllr David Stitt
  • Cllr Kirsteen Sullivan
  • Cllr Bert Thomson
  • Cllr Adam Wilson
 40
Nominations
Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs)
  • Aberdeen Central CLP
  • Aberdeen Donside CLP
  • Aberdeen South & North Kincardine CLP
  • Aberdeenshire West CLP
  • Airdrie & Shotts CLP
  • Angus South CLP
  • Argyll and Bute CLP
  • Cumbernauld & Kilsyth CLP
  • Cunninghame North CLP
  • Dumbarton CLP
  • Dunfermline CLP
  • Dumfriesshire CLP
  • East Kilbride CLP
  • East Lothian CLP
  • Eastwood CLP
  • Edinburgh East CLP
  • Edinburgh Pentlands CLP
  • Edinburgh Southern CLP
  • Galloway & West Dumfries CLP
  • Glasgow Anniesland CLP
  • Glasgow Cathcart CLP
  • Glasgow Pollok
  • Glasgow Provan CLP
  • Glasgow Shettleston CLP
  • Glasgow Southside CLP
  • Greenock & Inverclyde CLP
  • Hamilton, Larkhall & Stonehouse CLP
  • Inverness, Nairn & Strathspey CLP
  • Linlithgow CLP
  • Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale CLP
  • Moray CLP
  • Motherwell & Wishaw CLP
  • Na h-Eileanan an lar CLP
  • Paisley CLP
  • Renfrewshire North & West CLP
  • Renfrewshire South CLP
  • Rutherglen CLP
  • Skye, Lochaber & Badenoch CLP
  • Stirling CLP
  • Strathkelvin & Bearsden CLP
 8
Nominations
Endorsements
Matt Kerr[10] Councillor for Cardonald (previously Craigton)
(since 2007)		 33
Nominations[15]
MSPs (1)

Neil Findlay

Councillors (32)
  • Cllr John Bell
  • Cllr Robert Bissett
  • Cllr Philip Braat
  • Cllr Bill Butler
  • Cllr Harry Cartmill
  • Cllr Gail Casey
  • Cllr Dave Clark
  • Cllr Joe Cullinane
  • Cllr Eddie Devine
  • Cllr David Dodds
  • Cllr Willie Doolan
  • Cllr Angela Feeney
  • Cllr Robert Foster
  • Cllr Marie Garrity
  • Cllr Gary Haldane
  • Cllr Ricky Henderson
  • Cllr John Hood
  • Cllr Colin Jackson
  • Cllr Matt Kerr
  • Cllr Martin Lennon
  • Cllr Neil McGhee
  • Cllr John McGhee
  • Cllr Andrew McGuire
  • Cllr Dominic McGuire
  • Cllr Louise McPhater
  • Cllr Jim Montgomerie
  • Cllr Gordon Munro
  • Cllr Jim Reddin
  • Cllr Donald Reid
  • Cllr Jim Sheridan
  • Cllr Bill Shields
  • Cllr John Sweeney
 26
Nominations
Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs)
  • Almond Valley CLP
  • Angus North and Mearns CLP
  • Ayr CLP
  • Caithness, Sutherland & Ross CLP
  • Carrick, Cumnock & Doon Valley CLP
  • Clackmannanshire CLP
  • Clydebank & Milngavie CLP
  • Coatbridge & Chryston CLP
  • Cowdenbeath CLP
  • Cunninghame South CLP
  • Dundee East CLP
  • Dundee West CLP
  • Edinburgh Central CLP
  • Edinburgh Northern & Leith CLP
  • Edinburgh Western CLP
  • Ettrick, Roxburgh & Berwickshire CLP
  • Falkirk West CLP
  • Glasgow Kelvin CLP
  • Glasgow Maryhill & Springburn CLP
  • Kirkcaldy CLP
  • Mid Fife & Glenrothes CLP
  • Midlothian North & Musselburgh CLP
  • North East Fife CLP
  • Orkney CLP
  • Perth & Kinross CLP
  • Uddingston & Bellshill CLP
 8
Nominations
Groups (3)
Trade Unions (5)
Endorsements
Individuals

† CLPs not nominating any candidate:

The following seven constituencies remain unaccounted for:

Results
Candidate Party members Registered supporters Affiliated supporters Total [20]
Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %
Jackie Baillie 7,735 58.9% 323 77.6% 2,253 52.5% 10,311
57.8%
Matt Kerr 5,398 41.1% 93 22.4% 2,037 47.5% 7,528
42.2%

References
  1. "Lesley Laird stands down as Scottish Labour deputy". BBC News. 16 December 2019.
  2. Labour, Scottish (3 April 2020). "Congratulations to @jackiebmsp on being elected Scottish Labour deputy leader.pic.twitter.com/EfbhhDUsCE". @scottishlabour. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  3. Carrell, Severin (28 November 2019). "SNP suspends election candidate over alleged antisemitism". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  4. "Election 2019: SNP candidate axed over anti-Semitic posts elected". BBC News. 13 December 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  5. Press Association (3 March 2020). "SNP to readmit MP after anti-Semitism probe, reports say". The Courier. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  6. "Deputy Leadership Election". Scottish Labour.
  7. Hutcheon, Paul (15 January 2020). "Senior MSPs make bid for 'job sharing' Scottish Labour leadership". dailyrecord.co.uk.
  8. Hutcheon, Paul (15 January 2020). "Scottish Labour rule out plan for two MSPs to job share deputy leadership role". dailyrecord.co.uk.
  9. "Three enter next stage of Scottish Labour's deputy leader race". LabourList. 19 January 2020.
  10. "Two candidates left in Scots Labour deputy leader race". BBC News. 20 January 2020. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  11. Hutcheon, Paul (16 January 2020). "Left wing Glasgow councillor joins race to become Scottish Labour deputy leader". Daily Record. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  12. Kerr, Matt. "A FRESH FUTURE FOR SCOTTISH LABOUR" (PDF). Matt Kerr for Scottish Labour deputy leader. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  13. "2020 Deputy Leadership Election Hub". Scottish Labour.
  14. "Deputy Leadership Election Hub". Scottish Labour.
  15. "Deputy Leadership 2020 Cllr Matt Kerr". Scottish Labour (official website). Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  16. @ScotsLabStudent (28 January 2020). "Delegates from our affiliated clubs voted to endorse @MattKerrLabour to be Deputy Leader of the Scottish Labour Party at our EGM on Saturday!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  17. "TSSA Nominates Matt Kerr in Scottish Labour Deputy Race". Transport Salaried Staffs' Association. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  18. Cullinane, Joe (10 February 2020). "Scottish Labour must change, and that's why we should pick Matt Kerr for deputy". LabourList. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  19. @MattKerrLabour (11 March 2020). "Thank you to Maria Fyfe, for her support in my campaign to become the next Deputy Leader of the Scottish Labour Party! #Matt4Deputy" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  20. https://scottishlabour.org.uk/people/deputy-leadership/
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