Stephen Daisley Stephen Daisley

Scottish Labour is plunged into chaos – again

When Kezia Dugdale quit as Scottish Labour leader in August, she said it was time to ‘pass on the baton’ to someone else, handing power to her deputy, Alex Rowley. Today, Rowley has stepped aside, leaving a leaderless party following allegations – which he denies – that he was abusive to his former partner. 

The Corbyn ally recused himself after he was accused of ’emotional blackmail and abuse’. The woman, who has not been named, alleges that Rowley was controlling and sent her insulting text messages after she broke off the relationship. One is alleged to have read: ‘You are one horrible nasty piece of work and I am going to expose you’; another: ‘You are the most rotten b*****d I have had the misfortune to become involved with.’ The woman says she went to the police twice.

Rowley has issued a denial, saying:

‘I totally refute these allegations and will take all steps necessary to clear my name. These allegations must be properly and thoroughly investigated in line with our party’s procedures – and I will refer myself to the party so such an investigation can take place.’

As well as relinquishing his duties as interim leader, he has also stepped back from his role as deputy leader. It leaves a vacuum at the top of Scottish Labour just six months after unexpected gains in the General Election. After taking the party from one MP to seven, leader Kezia Dugdale took Scottish politics by surprise by resigning in August. She cited personal reasons but the hard-left was eager to replace the critic of Jeremy Corbyn with someone more ideologically palatable. That decision prompted a leadership ballot pitting centrist Anas Sarwar against left-winger Richard Leonard in a contest poisonous and personal even by Scottish Labour standards. 

Rowley, who was elected to serve as Dugdale’s deputy in 2015, took the helm and proved a dismal substitute from the start.

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