THE race to succeed Wendy Alexander as Scottish Labour leader took a fresh twist last night when it emerged that the early favourite has not decided if he will contest the election and two of the others were considering combining on a joint ticket.
The Scotsman understands that Andy Kerr, the clear frontrunner in the leadership battle, is still trying to decide whether he can combine the job with the demands of his young family.
It also emerged last night that two of the other potential cand
idates, Iain Gray and Margaret Curran, are considering a joint ticket, with Mr Gray standing for the leadership and Ms Curran opting for the deputy leadership.
The two spoke briefly after Ms Alexander's resignation at the weekend and did not discuss a joint ticket, but the idea has been suggested to them and they are now considering it carefully.
If they did decide to enter the race together, they would make a formidable team. It would give the east coast-based Mr Gray support from Labour's west-coast heartlands and Ms Curran also commands union support, something Mr Gray lacks.
For Ms Curran, it would give her the chance of allying her cause with someone who has substantial support in Westminster and who is now emerging as Mr Kerr's only real challenger – if Mr Kerr decides to stand.
A source close to Mr Kerr said: "Andy has been sounding people out but his major consideration is his family. Politically he would do it but he has a young family and the time pressures would be considerable."
If Mr Kerr does not stand, much of his support would transfer to Cathy Jamieson, the current deputy leader, who is likely to stand for the leadership. It is understood she does not want to hold the deputy leadership any longer and either "wants up or wants out".
That decision has opened the way for a joint deputy leadership race, with Ms Curran and John Park, a new MSP from the left of the party, the early frontrunners.
PROFILEJOHN Park is one of the few young rising stars of the Scottish Labour Party and is now being mentioned as a potential deputy leader.
The 34-year-old only became an MSP last year, but has already tabled a bill on modern apprenticeships.
Mr Park was brought up in a mining community in Fife, and left school at 15 to become an apprentice electrical fitter at Rosyth dockyard.
Mr Park moved on to the Scottish Trades Union Congress where he became assistant secretary.
Mr Park has working-class credentials, is media savvy and has powerful union contacts – a heady combination and one which suggests he has a bright future.
The full article contains 461 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
