Henry McLeish, the former first minister, has urged Scottish Labour to split from the UK party to end meddling by Westminster and counter a resurgent SNP.

Writing in The Sunday Times, McLeish said the next Scottish Labour leader should have complete control of an autonomous party with the power to determine its own policies without interference from London.

The former first minister admitted that Labour had struggled to adapt since devolution and needed “a new mindset and identity” to outflank the nationalists.

However, he warned that the UK party, led by Gordon Brown, may attempt to thwart attempts by Labour MSPs to go it alone by cutting the financial support it provides for election campaigns and organisation north of the border.

McLeish’s comments reflect the views of a growing number of Labour MSPs who blame the national party for last year’s Holyrood election defeat and the catastrophic loss of Glasgow East to the SNP last month.

His intervention is likely to stoke tensions between Edinburgh and London. It follows a week of turmoil in Scottish Labour ranks caused by the race to replace Wendy Alexander.

Andy Kerr, the former health minister and one of three candidates for the post, has said the role of the Scottish leader should be strengthened.

Tom McCabe, the former Holyrood finance minister, called for the Scottish leader to be given “complete control” of policy decisions in Scotland.

Sam Galbraith, the former Holyrood culture minister under McLeish, said: “I’m not in favour of an autonomous party. It’s good to be part of a large organisation. You want to be playing in the premier league, not the second division.”

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