Johann Lamont’s departure highlights Westminster power struggle

Johann Lamont was a leader fighting with one hand tied behind her back.

Johann Lamont was blocked from condemning the bedroom tax for almost a year while Ed Miliband decided the UK party’s position on the controversial reform, it has been claimed.

Sources close to the former Scottish Labour leader said she was ordered to avoid promising to repeal the spare room subsidy, even though the move drew fierce criticism of the party north of the Border.

Ms Lamont supporters claim the move typifies the “one hand tied behind her back” deal she had as leader, despite technically being in full charge of Scottish Labour.

One source said: “The bedroom tax was clearly a non-starter for Scottish Labour and should have been kicked out of the park straight away, but it had to wait nearly a year for the UK Labour Party to catch up.”

Sources close to Mr Miliband have denied the bedroom tax block, while other party figures have accused Ms Lamont of exaggerating problems with the UK party in order to deflect from what one described as her “fundamental inability to be a leader”.

But the charges levied against Mr Miliband’s regime will now dominate the opening salvos of a leadership race which is expected to last until Christmas.

Sources in the Lamont camp claim Shadow Scottish Secretary Margaret Curran had been orchestrating a campaign to dislodge her friend of more than 30 years but a spokesman for Mrs Curran said the claims were a “flat out lie”.

Last night, former First Minister Jack McConnell said the power struggle between Glasgow and London Labour had to be addressed before any leader is appointed.

He said: “It is quite clear from the statement Johann has made that her authority was completely undermined in relation to the party organisation in Scotland and that has led to her believing she can no longer carry out her job.

“That is completely unacceptable.

“Three years ago it was resolved that the Scottish party leader would have complete responsibility for all organisational matters in the Scottish Labour Party and its clear that Ed Miliband and those around him do not accept that this is the case.

“The organisational authority was a serious problem for me as leader. It has been a problem since.

“If this was an important issue three years ago, it is a fundamental issue now when the Labour leader is candidate for First Minister in a parliament which will have more powers than it has ever had in the last 15 years.”

Labour justice spokesman Graeme Pearson MSP said the party needed to address these issues but move on quickly as voters have little interest in the internal rumblings of the Scottish party.

He said: “I am sad to see Johann go as I think she was making a real fist of it. I didn’t vote for her but, as I said to her face, I think she did a good job of getting the party back on its feet again.

“The circumstances of her going are unfortunate and unhelpful but we need to regroup and get a plan together, one that has the voters at the core, not what is best for the Labour Party.”

Mr Pearson backed a loosening of the ties with the UK party but said coming up with decent policies was a bigger priority for the new leader.

Former First Minister Henry McLeish yesterday claimed Ms Lamont had been unable to lead the party in Scotland amid “constant sniping” from MPs.

He said: “There has been a suffocating atmosphere of control that Westminster have been trying to put on Scotland. That’s what led Johann, I think, finally to leave.

“Labour in Westminster, Labour in London has not a clue about the realities of Scottish politics. Johann has been badly advised. The influences on Ed Miliband have not been helpful.

“Now what we’ve got is a situation after a decade that Labour is still in denial in the UK and if there’s any hiccup in the number of MPs we send to Westminster in 2015 this could be catastrophic for Ed Miliband’s effort to become prime minister.”

Last night, Tory leader Ruth Davidson paid tribute to her former Labour rival.

She said: “Johann’s politics are not my own, but I have always admired her as a woman of principle who stepped up when her party needed her to.

“She’s an honourable woman who plays with a straight bat. It will do her credibility no good at all, but I like her immensely and wish her well.”

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Johann Lamont carries my personal best wishes, but there is no question her shock resignation reveals Labour to be in complete meltdown in Scotland.

“Labour were already a party in crisis and Johann Lamont’s resignation caused by infighting and deep division has plunged them to a new low.”