HELENSBURGH'S MSP says she "can't sit on the sidelines any longer" and watch Labour decline after announcing she's to stand as deputy leader of the party in Scotland.

Ms Baillie announced her candidacy on Tuesday, saying the party must "take drastic steps to change" after it was left with just one MP in Scotland as a result of December's general election.

Ms Baillie has represented the Dumbarton constituency – which includes the Helensburgh and Lomond area – since 1999.

She is the only Labour MSP to have won the same constituency seat at every election since the Scottish Parliament was established.

Ms Baillie had originally hoped to stand jointly with Pauline McNeill, currently a regional MSP for Glasgow, but was told party rules would not permit the role to be filled on a 'job share' basis.

She gave a damning criticism of the party's performance both in the December 12 Westminster poll and in the European Parliament elections in June 2019.

READ MORE: Labour should say sorry after "catastrophic" election, says Helensburgh's MSP

Ms Baillie said: “I can’t sit on the sidelines any longer and watch my party decline.

“The future of our party is hanging in the balance. We experienced two crushing defeats in 2019, and the Scottish electorate did not feel able to put their trust in Scottish Labour. As a result, the Party lost all but one MP.

"The result has meant that communities across Scotland have been subjected to another five years of Tory austerity, on top of the more than a decade of SNP cuts that they have already had to endure.

“Voters lost trust in our leadership and were confused by our manifesto.

"The inconsistent message that came from senior figures within the Labour Party on the two biggest issues facing Scottish voters – Scottish independence and Brexit – meant that the electorate did not know what the Party stood for and instead went elsewhere."

READ MORE: Jackie Baillie slams Labour's showing in European elections

Currently chair of the Scottish Parliamentary Labour Party, Ms Baillie served as social justice minister during the party's coalition with the Liberal Democrats in the early years of the parliament.

At present she is the party's Holyrood spokesperson for finance, the economy and fair work.

She continued: “If Scottish Labour does not accept responsibility for the result and take drastic steps to change, then the party will become a residual force in Scottish politics.

"My aim is to unite the party and bring members together from across the political spectrum, in order to rebuild the party for the future.

“My membership cards say ‘By the strength of our common endeavour, we achieve more than we achieve alone’.

"This resonates with me now more than ever.”

READ MORE: Check out the latest news from across Helensburgh and Lomond here