Ken MacIntosh Says Back Off

Macintosh tells senior party figures to let members decide the outcome of the UK leadership contest.

Ken Macintosh MSP who is standing for the leadership of Scottish Labour, has hit out at ‘senior party figures’ for trying to exercise undue influence over the outcome of the UK leadership election.

He said: "Jeremy Corbyn has as much right to stand for the leadership as any other candidate and he should be given the same respect.  

Some of the comments and accusations that are now flying back and forth between his opponents and supporters within the party are unhelpful and frankly undemocratic.  

Not only am I worried that there are still too many senior figures who think they can fix things from behind the scenes, others who are more open with their opinions are also being too inflammatory in their choice of words.

Everyone has the right to express their views and to criticise the arguments being put forward by any of the leadership contenders, but degenerating into insults and name calling is hardly going to win support for the Labour Party.  I suspect some contributions have been counter productive.  

Most Labour Party members I know have an intense dislike of being pushed around or told what to do and such pressure may have the opposite effect.

I know what it is like to have the party machine operate against you and there are too many people trying to exercise undue influence on this contest. 

 I think some senior party figures should back off and let the members decide who they want to lead us and in which direction."