On the day Sir Keir emphasises his “ruthless” streak by revealing he effectively ousted Labour’s former Scottish leader Richard Leonard, Leonard himself has chosen to rise above the rough-and-tumble of politics and heap praise on the efforts of “a leader called Keir”. In a gushing video tribute released this morning, Leonard said:

“…He understood why the working class, through their trade unions, needed a political party. We defend that link today, not to look wistfully backwards, but because it endures as an essential, a practical way to represent our class in the same way that the Tories represent theirs.”

Starmer reckons Labour “would be at base camp, rather than in a position to take advantage” of Sturgeon’s resignation had he not forced Leonard to go. Leonard, meanwhile, reminds everyone of ‘Keir’s’ own words: “socialism… must, must prevail.” Of course, by sheer coincidence, Leonard happens to be talking about Keir Hardie…