JIM Murphy will launch his campaign to become leader of Scottish Labour today by apologising for his party's failure to listen to voters.
The East Renfrewshire MP and Shadow International Development Secretary will admit Labour "lacked vision" when it slumped to defeat in 2007 and 2011.
Addressing supporters at an event in Edinburgh, he will add: "The Scottish people want change - they couldn't be clearer. But when they look at us, they think we've not listened.
"I want to apologise because twice Scots have said they didn't think we were good enough to govern in Scotland - in 2007 and 2011. We didn't listen to them. That has to change."
Bookmaker Ladbrokes yesterday made Mr Murphy 1/2 odds-on favourite to defeat MSPs Sarah Boyack and Neil Findlay and replace former leader Johann Lamont.
Second-favourite Mr Findlay, Labour's health spokesman at Holyrood, won backing from train drivers' union Aslef and a group of Glasgow University students.
However, the scale of the task facing the winner of the contest was again highlighted by a poll showing two-thirds of Scots want another independence referendum within a decade.
Meanwhile, SNP leader and First Minister-in-waiting Nicola Sturgeon used a speech in Dumfries to argue that she should take part in UK-wide televised election debates next year because of her party's commanding lead in the polls.
Jenny Marra, Scottish Labour's deputy finance spokeswoman, yesterday ruled herself out of the running to become deputy leader.
Education spokeswoman Kezia Dugdale is expected to announce this weekend that she will stand for the role.
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