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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| McConnell quits Labour leadership | McConnell quits Labour leadership |
| (about 18 hours later) | |
| Former first minister Jack McConnell has announced his immediate resignation as Scottish Labour leader. | Former first minister Jack McConnell has announced his immediate resignation as Scottish Labour leader. |
| The 47-year-old, who will stay on as MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, is to become the next British High Commissioner to Malawi. | The 47-year-old, who will stay on as MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, is to become the next British High Commissioner to Malawi. |
| Mr McConnell had been under pressure to go since the Scottish National Party won the Holyrood elections in May. | Mr McConnell had been under pressure to go since the Scottish National Party won the Holyrood elections in May. |
| He said his party needed to re-engage with the people and develop new policies to rebuild support. | He said his party needed to re-engage with the people and develop new policies to rebuild support. |
| Former enterprise minister Wendy Alexander has been tipped as the frontrunner to succeed Mr McConnell, but it is not clear if there will be a leadership contest. | Former enterprise minister Wendy Alexander has been tipped as the frontrunner to succeed Mr McConnell, but it is not clear if there will be a leadership contest. |
| Deputy leader Cathy Jamieson will take the party reins in the meantime. | Deputy leader Cathy Jamieson will take the party reins in the meantime. |
| It is time for the rest of my life to begin Jack McConnellFormer Scottish Labour leader In quotes: Jack McConnell Resignation statement href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/briantaylor/2007/08/duty_calls_in_malawi.html">Read Brian Taylor's blog | |
| Mr McConnell will also undertake an education project to help children in Malawi and Rwanda on behalf of the Clinton Hunter Development Initiative - the organisation set up by former US president Bill Clinton and Scots philanthropist Sir Tom Hunter. | Mr McConnell will also undertake an education project to help children in Malawi and Rwanda on behalf of the Clinton Hunter Development Initiative - the organisation set up by former US president Bill Clinton and Scots philanthropist Sir Tom Hunter. |
| He will continue as an MSP while the current high commissioner, Richard Wildash, completes his posting, scheduled to end in 2009. | He will continue as an MSP while the current high commissioner, Richard Wildash, completes his posting, scheduled to end in 2009. |
| Announcing his departure as leader at a press conference Mr McConnell, who succeeded Henry McLeish as first minister and Scottish Labour leader in 2001, said he took over at a challenging time, when some were wondering whether devolution could survive. | Announcing his departure as leader at a press conference Mr McConnell, who succeeded Henry McLeish as first minister and Scottish Labour leader in 2001, said he took over at a challenging time, when some were wondering whether devolution could survive. |
| He told reporters: "Scotland is a far better place now than it was six years ago. | He told reporters: "Scotland is a far better place now than it was six years ago. |
| "We are more prosperous and more confident as a nation. | "We are more prosperous and more confident as a nation. |
| "I believe that we have made this progress because we took bold action and addressed many of the real issues that had held Scotland back." | "I believe that we have made this progress because we took bold action and addressed many of the real issues that had held Scotland back." |
| Despite Labour's disappointing election performance, Mr McConnell expressed a hope that the party could still achieve some of its planned education reforms. | Despite Labour's disappointing election performance, Mr McConnell expressed a hope that the party could still achieve some of its planned education reforms. |
| Wendy Alexander profile | Wendy Alexander profile |
| He said: "The Scottish Labour Party needs to respond to the election defeat in May and hear what the Scottish people had to tell us. | He said: "The Scottish Labour Party needs to respond to the election defeat in May and hear what the Scottish people had to tell us. |
| "We need to re-engage with our people to develop the policies and the approach which will rebuild our support, because those with the least need us to be successful." | "We need to re-engage with our people to develop the policies and the approach which will rebuild our support, because those with the least need us to be successful." |
| Mr McConnell, who as first minister forged close connections between Scotland and Malawi, will take on his role at the Clinton Hunter Development Initiative on a voluntary basis. | Mr McConnell, who as first minister forged close connections between Scotland and Malawi, will take on his role at the Clinton Hunter Development Initiative on a voluntary basis. |
| "I am very excited to bring together my other two life-long passions; education to release human potential and ending poverty in Africa," he said. | "I am very excited to bring together my other two life-long passions; education to release human potential and ending poverty in Africa," he said. |
| "In fact I can't wait to get started. It is time for the rest of my life to begin." | "In fact I can't wait to get started. It is time for the rest of my life to begin." |
| First Minister Alex Salmond said Mr McConnell had left Scotland in a better state than he found it, adding: "Addressing Scotland's poor public health record and expanding Scotland's horizons abroad will be regarded as substantial achievements." | First Minister Alex Salmond said Mr McConnell had left Scotland in a better state than he found it, adding: "Addressing Scotland's poor public health record and expanding Scotland's horizons abroad will be regarded as substantial achievements." |
| Scottish Tory leader Annabel Goldie said: "We never doubted his wholehearted commitment to devolution, to the Scottish Parliament and to Scotland." | Scottish Tory leader Annabel Goldie said: "We never doubted his wholehearted commitment to devolution, to the Scottish Parliament and to Scotland." |
| Nicol Stephen, the Scots Lib Dem leader who worked alongside Mr McConnell as deputy first minister, said leading a coalition government was a tough challenge. | Nicol Stephen, the Scots Lib Dem leader who worked alongside Mr McConnell as deputy first minister, said leading a coalition government was a tough challenge. |
| Secure backing | Secure backing |
| "Jack McConnell was prepared to put aside narrow party dogma to seek and build consensus on a positive way forward for Scotland," said Mr Stephen. | "Jack McConnell was prepared to put aside narrow party dogma to seek and build consensus on a positive way forward for Scotland," said Mr Stephen. |
| His departure has left Scottish Labour with the task of finding a fourth leader since 1999. | His departure has left Scottish Labour with the task of finding a fourth leader since 1999. |
| The party will meet later this week to decide what happens now. | The party will meet later this week to decide what happens now. |
| Any candidate must secure the backing of six other MSPs in order to stand, according to the rules. | Any candidate must secure the backing of six other MSPs in order to stand, according to the rules. |