Scottish Labour leader to outline socialist case for UK

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard will say that only “radical Labour governments” in the UK can deliver the change that communities in Scotland need in a conference speech.

Mr Leonard will use a keynote speech at The World Transformed conference in Liverpool to outline the socialist case for the UK, at an event chaired by former UK Labour leader Ed Miliband.

Scottish Labour said that a UK Labour government will deliver £70 billion of investment to Scotland over a decade.

Mr Leonard also outlines the need for democracy in the economy, with an interventionist industrial strategy and a “Macora law” to allow workers to buy their companies when they go up for sale or face closure.

Speaking ahead of the event Mr Leonard said: “Labour is the biggest political movement in Europe, and we have energised people across the UK with our clear anti-austerity policies. I want that movement to understand only radical Labour governments within the UK deliver the real change that communities in Scotland need.

“A UK Labour government will deliver £70 billion of investment to Scotland over a decade, but Scottish Labour in power in Holyrood will give working people more control.

“Scottish Labour is prepared to intervene, to plan and not simply rely on voluntary business pledges and Adam Smith’s invisible hand of the market but instead start to shift power from the market to working people.

“That means a Scottish industrial strategy, with forward planning, economic planning and also environmental planning to tackle humanity’s greatest challenge – climate change.

“We need democracy in our economy, not just when things go wrong, but to help things go right in the first place.”

The World Transformed is a separate conference held by Momentum alongside the Labour party conference.

Mr Leonard said: “Working people are the creators of the wealth – they should have new rights to own the wealth that they create.

“That is the kind of radical and real change that Labour stands for in Scotland. Democratic socialism, not nationalism, is what will transform Scotland into a country that works for the many, not the few.”

Scottish Conservative finance spokesman Murdo Fraser said: “Many of the things proposed here would simply damage economic growth in Scotland, and put off those who could be investing heavily here.

“Richard Leonard is living in a bygone era.

“He needs to ditch the misty-eyed nostalgia of the past and concentrate on policies that will actually make a positive impact on hardworking people in Scotland.”