IF he becomes Scottish Labour's number two Gordon Matheson has promised to bring a "distinct combination of experience, freshness and change" to a party in desperate need of resuscitation.

But the Glasgow City Council leader's quest for new office now threatens to become his undoing. With Labour in a critical condition, nothing about Mr Matheson's campaign suggests any sense of selflessness or sacrifice.

Having headed the country's biggest local authority for over five years, Mr Matheson has found a new audience since announcing his surprise intention to succeed Kezia Dugdale as deputy leader.

A candidate from local government batting for councils, a track record of electoral victory, a high profile and a platform to get up the noses of the SNP with the nitty-gritty of education and deprivation, he has "clean-skin" appeal for Labour members hoping for a shift in fortunes.

But within his Glasgow discomfort zone, Mr Matheson has a mutiny on his hands. His planned exit and future intentions has blown open a simmering discontent with his leadership style.

His refusal to rule out, as his rivals have, using the deputy leadership as a sure-fire way to becoming an MSP and pitching himself as the voice of local government while planning his escape route from it has generated an internal backlash.

For many within Glasgow Labour, Mr Matheson is building a career path dependent on continuing party failure, the road to Parliament made possible only by the defeat of first-past-the-post colleagues.

At the same time, his intention to remain as £50,000-a-year council leader until the eve of next year's poll has become the major catalyst for the first real challenge to his authority.

An earlier exit may do little more than give a longer lead-in to ceding control of Glasgow to the SNP for the first time in near 40 years. But with his administration split right down the middle over his leadership, could it avoid a legacy of deep division and rancour?

Mr Matheson shows no lack of self-belief and displayed a remarkable resilience in the face of various adversities. He has also been incredibly lucky in his five years.

Even now the public narrative around his suitability to take Labour forward body swerves certain embarrassments during his time as leader. But within Labour circles the chatter is increasingly less coy.

His support from certain party power brokers also appears to be on the wane.

Three councillors within the Sarwar network are amongst those wanting Mr Matheson to go sooner. Furthermore, Anas Sarwar will view Mr Matheson's plans as the most immediate barrier to his own political ambitions.

Meanwhile, public threats to "tackle" those endorsing regime change at the council should he be elected deputy leader do little for 'Campaign Gordon'.

"For the good of the party" is Labour's current internal mantra. Mr Matheson may well be just the tonic for Scottish Labour but he quickly needs to do something which doesn't appear simply to be "for the good of Gordon".