COWDENBEATH MSP Alex Rowley is set to play a major role in the moves to restore the Labour Party’s fortunes in Scotland.

Labour were reduced to one MP at May’s General Election and Mr Rowley made his decision to stand for the vacant depute leader role.

And on Saturday, shortly after Kezia Dugdale was announced as winning the ladership campaign, the Kelty man was declared her depute.

It is believed Mr Rowley, who is to become a Minister without Portfolio in Kezia Dugdale’s front bench team, believes shaking off the perception of the party in Scotland being ‘branch office’ of the UK Labour Party is necessary after its disastrous General Election.

Having been involved at council and Scottish Parliamentary level for over two decades Mr Rowley is aware that a great deal of work needs to be done to re-establish the party in Scotland.

Launching his deputy leadership campaign message in Tin June, Rowley said, “We must build a radical and progressive movement for change in Scotland that embraces devolutions, progresses localism and delivers fairness.

“We must also encourage open debate and discussion, whether that is the renewal of Trident, the role of the welfare state and how to build a fairer more equal society.

“Labour in Scotland must reflect the views of members and the communities we seek to serve and we will do that by engaging in an open and transparent approach rebuilding the trust that once made Labour the workers’ party and put us at the heart of every community.” Meanwhile he continues to be a very busy local MSP working on a number of issues locally including creating a Cowdenbeath Development Trust.

He is delighted to have been so widely supported by the party in Scotland and is determined to helping Ms Dugdale prepare Labour for the Scottish Parliamentary elections this coming May.

He will, himself, face one of the SNP’s was prominent Parliamentarians, Annabelle Ewing, and will be hoping to have helped Labour on a more secure course by that time.