Scottish Labour must be prepared to work with the SNP to tackle major issues affecting local communities, according to one of the first MSPs to call for Jim Murphy to quit.
Cowdenbeath representative Alex Rowley resigned his shadow front bench position after the party’s disastrous general election result, which left them with just one Scottish MP.
Mr Murphy announced his intention to step down as leader on Saturday after surviving a vote of no confidence from the party’s executive by just three votes.
His deputy Kezia Dugdale is favourite to replace him, although she has not made any public declaration so far.
Jenny Marra, the Dundee-based shadow health secretary, is very unlikely to make a play for the leadership.
It is understood that Sarah Boyack, who ran for leader when Mr Murphy won, has not ruled out the possibility of putting her name in the frame again.
However, Neil Findlay, who also took part in that contest, issued a statement making it “crystal clear” he would not put himself forward again.
Scottish Labour’s only remaining MP Ian Murray distanced himself, saying the job should go to someone at Holyrood, and the highly regarded MSP Drew Smith ruled himself out, saying he would encourage the deputy leader to step up.
Also backing Ms Dugdale, Mr Rowley insisted Labour needed to “change in our approach to politics”.
He said: “We should not be the party that opposes the SNP but the party which sets out a clear vision for the type of Scotland we want to see. People are fed up of the attack type of politics.
“When I think back to when I was growing up, the kind of change we wanted to see then was improvement in living conditions, workers’ rights, housing, community services.
“Labour led the way on that.
“In recent times it seems like we know what Labour is against but not what it is for.”
Mr Rowley said it was time to put party-political differences aside to find solutions to big issues, and whoever takes charge must be in place for at least the next two Holyrood elections.
Mr Murphy will put forward a “comprehensive report” on proposals for the future when he resigns next month. He also launched an attack on the “destructive behaviour” of Unite union boss Len McCluskey, who hit back at being made a “bogeyman”.