Divisions within the Scottish Labour leadership contest have prompted fresh political debate over the party’s position on Scottish independence, with the SNP claiming Labour’s continued opposition to another independence referendum is contributing to its electoral struggles.

The latest row comes after leadership candidate Monica Lennon criticised the contest, saying it was operating like a “private members’ club” and warning it “reeks of misogyny and male entitlement.”

Reports have also suggested disagreements within Labour’s Holyrood group over the constitutional question, with claims that the issue of Scottish independence has become a point of contention during the leadership race.

The SNP argues that the debate reflects a wider problem for Scottish Labour, pointing to recent opinion polling and the party’s performance at the Scottish Parliament election.

SNP MSP David Linden said:

“The Labour Party in Scotland has been led to crushing defeat after crushing defeat and yet they still refuse to contend with the reason why.

“For as long as they deny Scottish democracy to the Scottish people, why should they expect the Scottish people to put their faith in them?

“Polling shows independence is the preferred position of the Scottish people, our parliament has an historic number of pro-independence MSPs and Holyrood voted for our right to decide, unless their next leader engages with that reality they will be forever consigned to the doom loop they find themselves in.

“This contest has further exposed the complete mess that the Labour Party in Scotland are in and the fact their party machine may be trying to airbrush independence out of their debate shows how blind they are to the position they find themselves in.”