THERE is an old phrase that a week is a long time in politics.

I have learned it is true.

On Saturday past Labour changed its rules to allow councillors to stand for the post of deputy leader of the Scottish Labour Party.

When the change was made my phone started ringing off the hook with friends and colleagues offering support and encouraging me to put my name forward.

The thought had not been in my mind until then.

After all, until a week ago only parliamentarians would have been eligible for this position.

After speaking to my partner and sounding out colleagues I quickly made up my mind to go for it. You cannot hesitate when opportunities like this arise.

Passion, heart and a record of success.

That is what I offer.

Labour needs fresh blood. We need to open up.

And we need to reconnect with local communities.

I have a different perspective on why our values matter - and why Glasgow and Scotland needs a Labour movement it can believe in.

As a successful city leader with a track record of achievements I believe I am best placed to do the job.

I led Labour to victory in the 2012 council elections at a time when everybody said we would be swept aside by the SNP.

In fact Labour won a comfortable overall majority.

I led Glasgow through the best Commonwealth Games there have ever been.

These were Glasgow's games but we delivered them in a way which inspired the whole of Scotland. And we impressed the world.

I was always determined that our Games would not only be about 11 days of sporting excellence.

And I take great satisfaction from the 6,000 jobs and apprenticeships created as part of Labour's Glasgow Guarantee.

The world class venues like the Emirates Arena, the hundreds of new homes in the former athletes village, and the hundreds of millions of pounds of Games contracts won by Glasgow companies are among the lasting benefits to this city.

And last year I signed the UK's biggest City Deal that will create 29,000 new full-time jobs plus 15,000 construction across our city region in the years ahead.

Glasgow is Scotland's big success story.

That didn't happen by accident.

And I am proud of the part I play in our joint success.

So I have the passion and the record of success.

I now feel ready to translate that to a vision for Scottish Labour.

I profoundly believe in Labour values of equality and opportunity, and the pooling and sharing of resources.

But I am under no illusions as to the scale of the challenge ahead.

A lot of former Labour voters are really disappointed in us, and many are angry with us.

They think we have lost our way and, frankly, have just not seemed serious about winning and representing the interests of our communities.

That may be hard to hear but it is essential that Labour listens and we get our act together.

Being deputy leader of Scottish Labour will not be an easy job.

But then if you believe in something you will fight for it.

I am passionate about Glasgow, Scotland and Labour values.

And I have never dodged a challenge in my life.

I am up for it and I know I carry a lot of good will with me into the campaign.

LABOUR-LED Glasgow was the first council in Scotland to introduce the Living Wage.

And because it is the right thing to do we have increased the figure each year despite disproportionate cuts to our council budget from the Edinburgh government.

This is a great example of Labour values in action.

We are on the side of working people and we believe that a hard day's work should receive a fair day's pay. That is why we support the Living Wage.

But we need to go further.

That is why I recently wrote to every business in the city encouraging them to sign-up to the Glasgow Living Wage.

I am delighted to report that over 280 Glasgow companies have done so. This figure is rising by the day.

For more information or to register please go to: www.glasgowlivingwage.co.uk