Who will be the next Scottish Labour leader? Runners and riders after Kezia Dugdale's shock resignation

Kezia Dugdale's decision to quit as Scottish Labour
leader has plunged the party north of the border into
yet another race to find a leader - its fourth in just six
years.
She stunned activists and supporters last night by
saying she was quitting after bruising and draining two
years in charge.
Dugdale said being in the top job had been a “difficult
but fulfilling challenge”.
She believes the party now need a new leader with
“fresh energy, drive and a new mandate”.
Labour's Scottish Executive Committee met after the
announcement to outline the rules and timetable of
the contest.
The eventual winner isn't just the leader in the
Scottish Parliament, but of the whole party in
Scotland - and wins the right to a seat on Labour's
governing National Executive Committee, which is
currently finely balanced between Corbyn's supporters
and sceptics.
So who might replace Kezia Dugdale? And how are
the possible candidates aligned with Labour's leader?
Here are the runners and riders - and those who
declined to take part.
Confirmed
Richard Leonard
Newly elected to the Scottish Parliament in 2016,
Richard Leonard is a long fixture of the party's left
wing.
His generally pro-Corbyn politics and commitment to
talking up socialist causes had seen him talked up as
a compromise candidate if the left's leading
candidates - Neil Findlay or Alex Rowley - did not
stand.
A former GMB political officer, Mr Leonard could bring
a hefty amount of trade union support to any
campaign.
Speeches on state of Scotland's industry and other
popular leftwing issues have seen him develop into a
favourite of the young Corbyn inspired left that many
think will decide this election.
But having served in the Scottish Parliament for just
over a year, some Scottish Labour power brokers think
it too soon for Mr Leonard to take centre stage.
Expected to confirm
Anas Sarwar
Scottish Labour Health Spokesperson and former
Deputy Leader, Anas Sarwar is seen by many in the
party as aiming for the top job.
He has led the party's charge against the SNP on the
failures in Scotland's NHS - landing blows on an
increasingly embattled nationalist government.
The Glasgow MSP experienced the taste of defeat
after losing his Westminster seat as part of the near
wipeout the party suffered at the hands of the SNP in
2015.
The son of the UK's first Muslim MP, Mr Sarwar was
elected to the Scottish Parliament a year later and
has served in the health brief ever since.
A competent media performer in a party that has lost
a lot of big names, Sarwar's stint as Deputy Leader
means he has a larger public profile than many of his
potential opponents.
But the moderate MSP was among those who signed
a letter asking Corbyn to consider his position in the
wake of last year's Brexit referendum.
The 34-year-old is known to be ambitious, but hasn't
put his head formally above the parapet - yet.
Ruled out
Alex Rowley
Scottish Labour's current Acting Leader, Alex Rowley
was elected as Kezia Dugdale's deputy just two years
ago.
In that time the former Fife Council chief has set
himself up as a close ally of Jeremy Corbyn in
Scotland, alongside Neil Findlay, and was seen by
many as one of a number of voices increasingly
critical of Ms Dugdale inside Holyrood.
Rowley made his name in Scottish politics as Gordon
Brown's fixer in his native Fife, and has previously
served Scottish Labour's General Secretary.
Mr Rowley has said the party must end its default
support for Scotland remaining in the UK.
Describing himself as an advocate for more devolution
he said he would "never consider myself a Unionist”.
He was already been talked up by the Unite union,
which said "Scotland's working people will be heard
loud and clear" under his interim leadership. But he
ruled himself out of the race early on.
Jackie Baillie
A Scottish Parliament heavyweight, Jackie Baillie has
played a pivotal role in the rise - and fall - of most
Scottish Labour leaders since devolution.
A competent media performer and skilled performer in
debates she has long been the party's go to politician
for tricky interviews at difficult moments.
An arch moderate, many credit her passionate
defence of Trident and the union for her success in
holding her Dumbarton constituency against all
comers.
A harsh Corbyn critic, Mrs Baillie has served in almost
every role in Scottish Labour's front bench team - bar
Leader or Deputy.
Allies in the Corbyn sceptic PLP were understood to
be asking Baillie to consider throwing her hat in the
ring. But she too said she would not be standing.
Neil Findlay
A powerful ally of Jeremy Corbyn in Scotland, Neil
Findlay is the Labour left's most experienced
performer in Holyrood.
An MSP since 2011 the former bricklayer and teacher
has run for the leadership before, losing to Jim
Murphy in 2014 and winning just over a third of the
vote.
Mr Findlay has long called for "clear red water"
between Scottish Labour and Nicola Sturgeon's SNP
and has won the support of many of the same forces
that back Jeremy Corbyn as a result.
But the upcoming release of a his memoir Socialism
and Hope is understood have some colleagues
concerned.
Early extracts saw his criticism of other Labour
politicians hit the headlines in a way which may
frustrate more moderate members.
He released a statement saying: "I will not be putting
put my name forward in this election."

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