Wendy Alexander, the new Scottish Labour leader, has learned an important lesson from her chief rival, Alex Salmond - get out of Holyrood more.

Wendy Alexander, the new Scottish Labour leader, has learned an important lesson from her chief rival, Alex Salmond - get out of Holyrood more.

She is to set out her plans for leading an effective opposition this morning in Glasgow, when she is confirmed as Jack McConnell's successor.

Ahead of that, she has told The Herald that the party needs to learn from the SNP leader's success since he returned to the party leadership in 2005, while an MP but not an MSP until last May.

"He reorganised his own party and he talked to the people of Scotland beyond the parliament chamber," she said.

This is part of the new Labour leader's plan to address what she sees as Labour's major problem at this year's Holyrood election: "This was an election Labour lost as much as one the SNP won.

"We lost it because people were disillusioned with us. Above all, they want us to reconnect with them."

In a wide-ranging interview, the Paisley North MSP has said party reforms should give her more autonomy from the party at Westminster to set policy on devolved issues.

Her priorities include an emphasis on dignity for elderly Scots, particularly in care. Health policy shifts from tackling killer diseases to helping patients with chronic conditions and improved mental health provision.

On schools, Ms Alexander wants literacy specialists to provide one-to-one support in upper primary, ensuring everyone has the basics. And on the economy, she wants the offshore energy sector to lead a boost for innovation throughout Scotland.

Ms Alexander told The Herald it is time for Labour to consider replacement of council tax, on condition there should still be a place for property-based tax.

However, the Labour leader raised doubts about the future funding of schooling, saying it may be wrong for council tax to bear the burden of the education budget.