On the Eve of the election of the new Scottish Labour Leader Political Correspondent STEWART PATERSON looks back at the previous holders and ahead to the big ideas of the three contenders.

LABOUR will elect its seventh Scottish leader since devolution tomorrow.

The new man or woman will have the task of putting the party back as an electable force in Scottish politics following two Holyrood defeats, the last one a crushing victory for the SNP.

Since 1999 the party has gone from being almost guaranteed a role in a coalition government and some warning Scotland would be a one party state to a lengthy period in opposition and introspection.

Leader after leader since Jack McConnell left office in 2007 repeated the mantra 'we have to listen we have to win back people's trust'.

Now after Johann Lamont left without having had the opportunity to go before the electorate, it will be for Jim Murphy, Neil Findlay or Sarah Boyack to prick up their ears and listen to the nation.

In 1999 going into the first Scottish Parliament election Labour was led by Donald Dewar, whose place in history was secured having delivered the Scotland Act the led to devolution and who was unarguably a political heavyweight.

His time as First Minister was cut short tragically after a fall outside Bute House and his legacy will forever be remembered as the parliament itself.

His successor Henry McLeish was considered the steady hand, but lasted little more than a year brought down by the revelation he was sub letting his constituency office which he described as a "muddle not a fiddle".

Jack McConnell enjoyed more success and remains the only other Labour leader to win a Holyrood election, keeping the coalition with the LibDems going in 2003.

His term will be remembered for the smoking in public places ban and for establishing partnerships to deliver aid and long term development in Malawi.

He narrowly lost the 2007 election by one seat and stood down making way for Wendy Alexander.

In her short time she did set up, jointly, the Calman Commission on devolution and changed Labour's position on an independence referendum by declaring "bring it on" leading to reports of a fall out with Gordon Brown.

She was gone in less than two months after it emerged fundraising rules were breached during her leadership campaign.

Iain Gray stepped in and lasted three and a half years before a disastrous 2011 election campaign led to the SNP winning a majority.

His fate was sealed when TV viewers witnessed him being chased out of Central Station and up Union Street into a subway sandwich shop by protesters shouting about Labour supporting Tory cuts.

Johann Lamont won the subsequent leadership contest beating MSP Ken Macintosh and MP Tom Harris.

Ms Lamont had many bruising encounters with Alex Salmond in Holyrood and was portrayed as being against free tuition fees and free prescriptions as she announced a panel to review the affordability of universal benefits.

She took the SNP to task over cuts to college funding and accused them of putting the country "on pause" while they focussed on the referendum.

She resigned after it became clear she didn't have the support she required as leader and accused London Labour of treating Scotland like a "branch office."

Of the three contenders Jim Murphy is the favourite, having the highest public profile, government experience and an easy going television manner.

Neil Findlay, was a surprise candidate unknown to the wider public, outside Holyrood and his constituency in Lothians, but has attracted support from the left leaning members of the party and trade unions.

Sarah Boyack is the outsider, despite having the most Scottish government experience, having served under all three Labour first Ministers.

All three have pitched their ides to the party over the last six weeks and promise to stand up for the people in the post referendum Scotland

Neil Findlay, who wanted Gordon brown to stand quoted the former Prime Minister on the party's values.

He said: "Labour is best when it is being bold, being Labour."

Mr Findlay wants to end PFI contracts, which he said will provide £12bn for public services and wants a house building programme.

He said: "We must show that we have a vision of redistributing wealth and power determination to build social housing to meet need and create employment, to tackle health and wealth inequality, to deal with the social care crisis, to make work more secure and to end youth unemployment.

"In making these issues the political priorities I will help Labour make Scotland a better place for all of us."

Mr Murphy wants a 50p top rate of tax for earnings over £150,000.

He said: "Labour has created the opportunity to have a more progressive tax system in Scotland than in the rest of the United Kingdom. What is the point of having that power if we do not use it in order to fund Scotland's priorities which we see in our communities and in the statistics of deprivation?"

Ms Boyack said tackling social Justice was her priority like the Late John Smith, former UK party leader.

She said: "Solving these problems has been ignored for too long in Scotland.

We have had 7 years of an SNP Government which at times has seemed more interested in dictating to our local authorities what they should do with less money, than whether our

children from the poorest parts of Scotland leave school being able to read or write."