Alexander urges 'progressive voice'

The Labour leader in the Scottish Parliament has set out her plan to recapture power.

Wendy Alexander said in a policy document on Sunday that the party must offer radical change and reach out to new supporters in order to regain the trust of voters.

Ahead of the Scottish Labour conference next weekend, Alexander argued that the party must "rediscover our progressive voice" if it is to regain the power lost to the SNP last year.

She said this must mean concentrating on voters' priorities such as improving public services and engaging in the debate on Scotland's constitutional future.

"We have no divine right to be elected, no automatic call on the people's support, no guarantees of unwavering allegiance," Alexander wrote.

"We will have to work as hard, if not harder, than we did in 1997, to secure victory at the next election.

"We will have to work in every street, every community, and in all corners of our country to command the respect of, and win back the support of, Scotland."

The close ally of the prime minister gave her backing to a review of the powers of the Holyrood parliament, but said this could mean some responsibilities returning to Westminster as well as some increased rights, such as raising finance, transferring to Edinburgh.

However the SNP claimed this meant she had conceded ground under pressure from Gordon Brown.