A YOUNG leftwinger newly elected to Scottish Labour’s executive says members want an end to “backroom deals” with the Tories.

Lina Nass topped the Scottish executive committee (SEC) poll in the North East Scotland and Highlands and Islands region. The 23-year-old student union official unseated Linda Stewart, a senior university manager and unsuccessful Labour candidate in multiple elections.

Ms Nass is based in Aberdeen, where the entire group of Labour councillors was suspended last year – after they defied a party directive and formed a coalition with Conservatives. Their cases have been referred to Labour’s disciplinary body, which could end up expelling them – but the nine councillors have support from some Scottish Labour rightwingers.

Ms Nass told the Star that “one of the reasons I stood” was to ensure the party took a firm line against coalitions with the Conservatives.

“This result shows that members want a party which pushes for real change – and not the kind of backroom deals which have lost us support since the independence referendum,” she said.

“We must remain vigilant and keep fighting for a transformation of Scotland’s economy which redistributes not just wealth but power too.”

Ms Nass thanked “brilliant members” who campaigned for left-wing candidates. Across Scotland, the picture was more mixed – with leftwingers winning a majority of votes, but losing two seats in the Glasgow and Central Scotland region.

Leftwingers Ann Henderson (Lothians and South Scotland) and Cara Hilton (West of Scotland and Fife) were re-elected.

A campaign insider said it was a “strong result for a left-wing that has taken an unfair battering in the press over Brexit and internal party affairs,” and said the right had “spent thousands of pounds in order to wipe us out.”

Conrad Landin is Morning Star Scotland editor