The @scottishlabour leadership election needs to be the moment we come to terms with the political reality in Scotland.

There is no future for the party as a unionist party that happens to have left economics.

We need to meet young & working-class voters where they are on #indy

I don't think independence is the long-term answer to the big issues we face, but we cannot keep putting the constitution before all the material issues.

Indy supporters need to be welcome in our party and we need to have a position that puts the focus on democratic legitimacy.

Rather than mumbling 'no, never' we need to have a position on #indyref2 that recognises that political can move on.

We need to talk about what an independent Scotland would have to look like for Labour to support it.

We can't keep letting our opponents define the issue.

We need to talk about what we would actually do if we were in a position to enter a coalition government at Holyrood and what issues we would bargain for with a minority SNP administration:

- tax reform
- drug policy reform
- local democracy
- quality green infrastructure

We need to mentally accept that we are not the natural party of government in Scotland.

After 7 consecutive elections we are not trying to 'win back Labour voters' we are trying to 'win over SNP/Green voters'

This is a unique opportunity as several new, young, exciting candidates are standing for selection at the moment.

Quite frankly I'm disappointed that this election will be held before #SP16 because I think an overdue generational transition is about to take place.

There are no safe, reliable hands for the tiller in the Scottish Labour Party.

Those who have the most experience, almost always have the most responsibility for the dire situation we find ourselves in.

All we have are political gambles.

Let's take a chance on the future