If the Government is not working, “tactics and personnel” must change, a Scottish Labour MP has said.
Brian Leishman – who represents the Alloa and Grangemouth seat at Westminster and has been a regular critic of Sir Keir Starmer’s Government – said that for Labour, “the bottom line is, it’s just not been good enough” since taking over after the 2024 election.
The MP spoke to BBC Radio Scotland on Monday, as the Prime Minister appeared to be on the brink of resignation.
“The first two years 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.
“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 has been heaped on the Prime Minister following 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.
But regardless of who is in the leadership roles, Mr Leishman said, 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.
“We’ve got to see a real sea change in how Labour govern.”
But if a new leader does win the keys to Downing Street, there should not be another election, he said.
“I don’t think that that’s a sensible way of trying to govern the country,” he said.
Mr Leishman 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.”