The contenders for the Labour leadership in Scotland learned a key pointer to their fate yesterday when nominations closed, giving Iain Gray more support from MSPs than rivals.

The contenders for the Labour leadership in Scotland learned a key pointer to their fate yesterday when nominations closed, giving Iain Gray more support from MSPs than rivals.

He received 13 nominations from MSPs, compared to 12 for Cathy Jamieson and 10 for Andy Kerr.

Mr Gray also appeared to confirm his new position as bookmakers' favourite, providing most trade union support, with 15 bodies, as well as seven affiliates. He said: "I'm very happy with the support I've received so far to be leader of Scottish Labour. It's been particularly pleasing to gather nominations from across all parts of the country and across all sections of the party.

"However, it's obviously a very tight race and in the end it will be votes and not nominations that win this election. I will therefore continue to work very hard for every vote from now until the last possible moment of the campaign."

But Cathy Jamieson claims that having won almost as many votes on the unions slate, and with solid backing from MSPs, she is well placed, particularly if the ballot comes down to transferable votes.

A senior member of Ms Jamieson's team pointed out that she was picking up pledges of second votes from all sides, indicating that she was well placed to come through the process as winner.

A spokesman for the Kerr campaign said: "Support among Labour Councillors for Andy Kerr for the leadership of Labour in Scotland shows a massive margin in favour of Andy. The campaign polling shows that the vast majority of hard-working and influential councillors believe Andy is the man to take on Alex Salmond's SNP."