Scottish Labour will be ungovernable after this leadership contest

Usually there are two sides: those who defend the previous leadership and those who attack it.

It can become tense, as those involved have skin in the game and become defensive about their record.

They never tend to be particularly civil, but this Scottish Labour one has been especially bitter so far.

Joe Fagan standing has annoyed those backing Michael Marra as they seem to come from the same part of the Labour Party.

While Mr Fagan’s candidacy seems to have come purely from an attempt to prevent Mr Marra from winning.

The latest accusation from Monica Lennon, that the fight to replace Mr Sarwar “reeks of misogyny and male entitlement”, only heightens things further.

Ms Lennon is still to gain enough backers in the race, and feels that she is not being given a fair opportunity to convince MPs and MSPs to back her.

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But the charge that the contest is being rigged against her because she is a woman has annoyed many people in the party - including women.

It shows just how fraught the race has become.

What happens after the contest? If Mr Marra wins, there is a whole group of MPs and MSPs who so desperately didn’t want him that they backed someone who has not been an MSP for 90 days.

And there is likely to be resentment from Mr Marra’s side that his route to the leadership was obstructed by those with similar political beliefs.

If Mr Fagan wins, Mr Marra’s side will be fuming that he was usurped.

And if Ms Lennon wins, she will not have the support of the vast majority of parliamentarians.

Whoever wins the contest will have to deal with a Scottish Labour even more factional - yes that is possible - than it was before the race started.

Interesting for hacks, perhaps, but not good for anyone trying to get things done.

And what about the voters? If they are paying attention they will likely be put off.

It is obviously early days but so far the race has been characterised by bitter infighting, rather than policy ideas.

What members want is for candidates to set out how they can do what no one has yet managed: oust the SNP from power.

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None of the hopefuls have spoken in any real detail about why the party had its worst ever Scottish Parliament election result in May and how they will turn things around.

Their vision for winning an election should be what this contest is fought on.

But instead, personalities and internal politics seem to be at play.

If it continues like this until the contest is over, voters will not thank them.