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| Johann Lamont to stand down as Scottish Labour leader | Johann Lamont to stand down as Scottish Labour leader |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Johann Lamont is to stand down as leader of the Scottish Labour Party, BBC Scotland understands. | Johann Lamont is to stand down as leader of the Scottish Labour Party, BBC Scotland understands. |
| Her resignation is expected to be confirmed on Saturday. | Her resignation is expected to be confirmed on Saturday. |
| Ms Lamont was elected as the party's leader in December 2011, having previously acted as its deputy leader. | Ms Lamont was elected as the party's leader in December 2011, having previously acted as its deputy leader. |
| She is said to have become disillusioned with internal criticism of her leadership and interference by the UK Labour party in the running of Scottish Labour. | |
| A Labour party source said Ms Lamont had "had enough" and felt she did not have the support of the UK party. | |
| Ms Lamont's deputy, Anas Sarwar MP, will take over the leadership on a temporary basis. An MSP will also be chosen to stand in for Ms Lamont at Holyrood until a successor is elected. | |
| More autonomy | |
| BBC Scotland understands that Ms Lamont has been unhappy for some time about the direction of party strategy. | |
| In particular, she has wanted more autonomy for the party in Scotland and significant new powers for the Scottish parliament. She felt both of those objectives were being thwarted. | |
| It is also understood that Ms Lamont was unhappy that a senior official of the Scottish party was to be removed from office without her being consulted. | |
| Earlier this week, two former Labour first ministers - Lord McConnell and Henry McLeish - suggested the party was in need of an overhaul. | |
| Their comments came in the wake of many traditional Labour voters backing Scottish independence in last month's referendum. | |
| Lord McConnell, who was first minister between 2001 until 2007, said the party must "rediscover our sense of purpose, our vision for Scotland". | |
| His words echoed those of his predecessor Henry McLeish, who told the BBC: "There's no entitlement to a vote now. Labour has got to realise that every vote has got to be fought for." |