CANDIDATES vying to lead Scottish Labour into next year's Holyrood election conducted a post-mortem into the party's catastrophic general election defeat as they set out their stall to party members.

 

At the first hustings event in the leadership and deputy leadership races in Edinburgh, Kezia Dugdale, seen as the frontrunner in the race to succeed Jim Murphy, admitted that voters were not listening to her party's stark warnings over full fiscal autonomy, and that a raft of policies proposed during the campaign had fallen flat.

She said that she took her "full share of responsibility" for the defeat last month, which saw Labour all but wiped out in its former heartland losing 40 of 41 MPs north of the border.

She then added: "One thing I would do differently in the future is not start with the policies... We had a whole raft of policies, over the minimum wage, 1,000 extra nurses for the NHS. We told people about the policies, we forgot to tell them about what drove us, about what our values were.

"What is it that the Labour Party in 2015 is about and who are we for? I'd like to lead from the front on our values. I think the public would respect that."

She admitted that the public "don't believe us" about the importance of the Barnett Formula, despite the repeated warnings over the dangers of full fiscal autonomy. She added that the party needed to find "new language" to make the case for the union.

Meanwhile, Ken Macintosh, the Eastwood MSP, said he believed that a high profile drive calling for drinking to be allowed at football matches had been a mistake. Mr Murphy spent months championing the policy, including making appearances at football stadiums and attending a summit at Hampden Park to discuss the issue.

"There were one or two policies that I have to say I was not too sure reflect our values," Mr Macintosh said. "One was the way we said we wanted to introduce drinking at football matches. It seemed to be one of those policies plucked out of thin air, driven by focus groups."

While largely a good natured encounter, differences emerged over the issue of local taxation. Mr Macintosh spoke out strongly against a continued council tax freeze, with Ms Dugdale more circumspect, championing a cross-party commission to examine local government finance.

Ms Dugdale said it was time for a "new generation" in Scottish Labour. In his closing remarks, Mr Mackintosh, who repeatedly said he would offer a more constructive form of opposition to the SNP, launched the most overt attack of the night when he said there was "no point having a new generation if you make same mistakes."

Among the deputy leadership candidates, a split emerged over whether Labour should move towards a federal party structure within the UK.

Alex Rowley, the Cowdenbeath MSP, backed a move towards a devolved Labour Party in Scotland, saying it was "crucial" and challenging members not to "run away" from the debate.

He later said that internal debate over the renewal ofTrident had been shut down in the past, and that it was an example of an issue that would have to be revisited if the party was to become a mass movement once again.

In his opening statement, he warned that unless there was radical change within Labour, members would witness the "demise" of the party north of the border.

Glasgow Council leader Gordon Matheson, who told audience members he had the "passion, heart and record of success" to become deputy, said that the Scottish Party should be in control of policy in devolved areas, but added: "It's not the time to win a referendum on separation, but then decide to break up the Labour movement".

Richard Baker, who repeatedly promised to offer more representation to the grassroots if he is elected, said he supported Labour remaining a "united" party and that working together was the best way of reflecting values of solidarity and equality.