RICHARD Leonard's brass-neck was on full show last night – and he was absolutely telt by the First Minister as a result.
Yesterday, it was announced that the SNP-led Glasgow City Council had reached an agreement on a long-running equal pay dispute. Thousands of women were finally set to receive the justice they had fought for.
Many celebrated the news, as was right to – that included the Scottish Labour leader, who took to Twitter to get in on the action.
He tweeted: "I’m delighted that these Glasgow women workers are on the way to getting the settlement that they are due for pay discrimination. Organise, agitate and win."
Yes. "Organise, agitate and win.".
This would be the same equal pay dispute mess left by the previous Labour administration of Glasgow's council.
This would be the same equal pay dispute which that Labour administration spent more than £2.5 million trying to fight.
This would be the same equal pay dispute that lasted 12 years, with progress only made after the new SNP council abandoned the long-running court battle against unions and staff.
If Leonard had even struck a slightly more humble note – welcoming the news and the role of protests, but acknowledging his party's role, perhaps – maybe it would have gone smoothly.
He didn't choose that option, though, and the First Minister set the record straight.
Responding to his tweet, Nicola Sturgeon said: "You’ve missed a step in this case @LabourRichard - organise, agitate, get rid of Labour, and win. #EqualPay"
You’ve missed a step in this case @LabourRichard - organise, agitate, get rid of Labour, and win. #EqualPay https://t.co/uDStrRSttK
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) January 17, 2019
Brutal. We suspect Richard Leonard won't be attempting a response to that one.
"Shameless" would probably be an understatement of Leonard trying to score political points on this issue.
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