SCOTTISH Labour should consider ditching Kezia Dugdale as its leader and embrace a second independence referendum, according to one of Jeremy Corbyn’s advisers.

The former BBC and Channel 4 journalist Paul Mason said Labour needed to “get real about Scotland” before it lost Glasgow and other council bastions in next year’s local elections.

Writing on the New Statesman website, Mr Mason said Scottish Labour should get behind 'home rule' for Holyrood, as advocated by Ms Dugdale’s pro-Corbyn deputy, Alex Rowley.

Read more: Call to impose 'super majority' on second independence referendum

In his article, ‘How the left should respond to Brexit’, Mr Mason said the June 23 vote had created a crisis for Theresa May and an opportunity for Labour.

He said Labour’s aim should be to block a hard Brexit and keep the UK in the European Economic Area, while accepting some restrictions on the free movement of people.

Referring to Scotland, he said: "Corbyn’s natural allies - the thousands of leftists who took part in the Radical Independence Campaign - are trapped outside the party, sitting inside the Scottish Greens, Rise or the left of the SNP.

“The interim solution is for Scottish Labour to adopt the position argued by its deputy leader, Alex Rowley: embrace ‘home rule’ - a rejigged devo-max proposal - and support a second independence referendum.

Read more: Call to impose 'super majority' on second independence referendum

"Then throw open the doors to radical left-wing supporters of independence.

“If, for that to happen, there has to be a change of leadership (replacing Kezia Dugdale), then it’s better to do it before losing your last bastion in local government.”

The Sun newspaper last week printed a covertly recorded conversation of Mr Mason admitting Mr Corbyn “doesn’t appeal to the mainstream working class vote” and suggested Labour's defence spokesman Clive Lewis would make a good replacement.

A sources close to Ms Dugdale aid: “We all know that Paul Mason says one thing in public, and another thing in private. Once again, it appears he is incredibly confused here.

Read more: Call to impose 'super majority' on second independence referendum

“Paul rightly talks of the Tories’ ‘economic recklessness’, but in the same breadth refers to the Nationalists as ‘progressive’. This is an incoherent argument."

Mr Rowley said it was “reckless” to talk about a second referendum before the implications of Brexit for Scotland were clear.

Asked whether Ms Dugdale should be replaced to avoid disaster in the council elections, he said: “He [Mr Mason] is wrong. Kezia Dugdale has the support of all the Labour MSPs, including me.”