McConnell: needs vision

Former first minister Henry McLeish will this week mount a thinly veiled attack on his successor.

McLeish, who quit Scottish politics following the "officegate" row, will warn that Jack McConnell's devolved government "needs to have a vision".

In an interview to be broadcast on Wednesday he will warn that "excitement and interest" needs to be injected into devolved government north of the border.

Quizzed on the achievements of his successor the former first minister fails to offer any words of praise. "Devolution is not just about having members or having a temporary building on the Mound, it is what you did for Scotland," he tells BBC Radio Scotland.

"What I was trying to do was give Scotland a distinctive role, to open up opportunities in Europe and in America as part of an international campaign and of course look at political issues, building on tuition fees and saying, 'Look, we are not taking older people seriously enough'."

"What Jack needs to do now is to build on these initial achievements."

McLeish concedes that the position of first minister is difficult but calls on McConnell to raise his game.

"Of course being first minister is a very difficult task but I think what should happen is that Jack has got to have a vision for Scotland which opens up possibilities in the UK, in Europe and globally," he says.

The former first minister also warns his successor that he must stand up to senior Westminster figures who seek to micro-manage devolved politics.

"It is a very difficult job because there are lots of people unfortunately at Westminster... who want Jack to just manage what he's got and not to do a great deal," he adds.