“Scottish Labour must be rebuilt from the ground up. This means empowering CLPs, increasing the participation of members, encouraging others to join the party, and restoring our internal democracy.”
By Katy Clark
Time to debate our losses
Although 37 Scottish Labour MPs were elected in the 2024 General Election, we have since lost the support of many of those who voted for us then. We’ve squandered the goodwill that we won, as shown by the result of the 2026 Scottish Parliament election, the worst in our party’s history, with Reform UK winning 17 seats, the same number as Scottish Labour.
The reaction in Scottish Labour has been worse than expected, as many candidates and activists believed the Scottish Labour leadership, who insisted we would win the election despite polling showing the opposite. Yet again in 2026, the most significant factor was the attitude to the constitutional question. Although the majority of voters voted for parties which oppose independence and another referendum being held now, the majority of seats are held by the SNP and Greens who support both positions. So the constitution will again dominate the Parliament.
The decision by Anas Sarwar to delay resigning as Leader of Scottish Labour until he was offered a peerage and ministerial role has led to a summer Scottish leadership election which presented an opportunity to really debate why we did so badly in May and how we rebuild.
Neoliberalism has failed
For working-class communities, it is clear that neoliberalism does not work. Over recent decades, privatisation and outsourcing have led to our public services being run to generate private profit rather than delivering for ordinary people. Putting our public services into the hands of private companies and multinationals has led to poor value for money and little democratic control.
Scottish Labour must argue for insourcing and demonstrate why public ownership works.
Public funding models used in the UK are more expensive than in other countries and cannot continue in their current forms. Serious challenges, such as an ageing population and other demographic changes, require Scottish Labour to assess how the Scottish Parliament can raise more money and deliver the high-quality public services that communities expect and deserve.
Unemployment and lack of opportunities continue to affect the lives of too many across Scotland, particularly young people. Scottish Labour must bring forward a plan for the economy, for full employment, and to ensure people have the skills needed for the well-paid jobs of the future.
A voice for the working class
Our party needs to demonstrate we are consistent and can be trusted to deliver on these issues.
That’s why we need to remember that we are a socialist party and a voice for working class people.
To show we can be trusted, we must take a new approach to how we conduct ourselves as a party. This means we should be building coalitions across the Scottish Parliament to deliver social and economic justice and to empower working-class communities.
At Westminster, Scottish Labour MPs must be fighters for their communities and for Scotland.
Our MSPs and MPs must take up trade union campaigns and issues. We were created by a group of trade unions; our relationship with the labour movement is unique; and the link with our affiliated trade unions is vital for rooting us in our communities.
The next elections in Scotland will probably be the 2027 council elections. We need to work together with our Labour councillors and candidates to develop and deliver policies which demonstrate our Labour values.
Restore internal democracy
Those who campaigned for the Scottish Parliament believed it would be a ‘working class Parliament ’, but we all know it is far from that. Our party members are not just activists at elections, but individuals who should play a vital role in shaping party policy and campaigning alongside trade unions and other groups in our communities. Scottish Labour must be rebuilt from the ground up. This means empowering CLPs, increasing the participation of members, encouraging others to join the party, and restoring our internal democracy.
This leadership contest was an opportunity to discuss how we turn this idea of a Parliament which delivers for working-class communities into a reality. But the lack of a left candidate on the ballot meant that did not happen.
- Katy Clark is MSP for the West Scotland Region. You can follow her on Facebook and X/Twitter.
- This article is from CLPD’s annual briefing, which you can read here.
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