Leonard quits as Scottish Labour leader with immediate effect

Leonard quits as Scottish Labour leader with immediate effect

Richard Leonard has stood down as leader of the Scottish Labour Party with immediate effect. Leonard, who had served as the head of the party since 2017, said that speculation about his leadership had become a distraction for the party to get Labour’s message across. Jackie Baillie becomes interim leader following Leonard’s departure, which comes just months before the next elections to the Scottish Parliament in May.