by Niall Christie
Scotland editor

SCOTTISH Labour leadership hopeful Monica Lennon has said that Scotland can become the best place in the world for workers’ rights if Holyrood gains greater powers.

The party’s health spokeswoman, who is a candidate to replace Richard Leonard as Labour’s leader north of the border, said today that further devolution to Scotland could help improve the lives of workers. 

Ms Lennon said that a so-called devo-max option should appear on the ballot in any future independence referendum. 

In an interview with the Daily Record, she said: “In terms of achieving the economic reform that we need to see, then issues around employment also have to come to the Scottish Parliament, where we can really push ourselves to be world leading when it comes to working conditions and health and safety.

“If we are ambitious about bringing more power to Scotland, what I would want to see is minimum standards right across the UK. We don’t want a race to the bottom. I want a race to the top.”

Ms Lennon’s views on national self-determination contrast with those of her rival in for the party leadership, Glasgow MSP Anas Sarwar, who said this week that he would not support another referendum being held before 2026. 

She added: “My starting point is Scotland is sovereign. I believe in the principle of self-determination. I am not advocating a referendum, it’s not my policy. 

“What I want to do as Scottish Labour leader is ensure that radical social and economic reform is on the ballot paper.”

Her comments came as Mr Sarwar, whose 2017 bid  to lead the party was defeated by Mr Leonard, announced that he had hired a former aide to Joe Biden’s presidential campaign to join his campaign team.