Labour began the search for a new Scottish leader yesterday, as the party sought to put behind it the anguish of recent defeats and debacles.

It will be a contest, in contrast to previous coronations at Westminster and Holyrood, as the party looks for a way back in the wake of the crushing setback in Glasgow East last week.

It will also be a new slate for the party at Holyrood, with the deputy leadership also up for grabs as Cathy Jamieson stood down as deputy yesterday to contest the top post.

But the problem for Labour will be the lack of fresh faces, talent and ideas to fill the posts after two full terms in office, and finding someone for the top job who is capable of taking on First Minister Alex Salmond.

One of the problems with the Holyrood roles is that although they carry the titles leader and deputy leader, they are merely descriptive of the group of MSPs at Holyrood, with the Prime Minister remaining overall leader of the party in Scotland.

One of the contenders, former Health Minister Andy Kerr, hinted yesterday that he believed that this might have to change, making the issue part of the contest between the three main contenders.

The other frontrunners are Cathy Jamieson and Iain Gray, the shadow Finance Secretary whose time working for Westminster ministers may become either an advantage or disadvantage given the arguments and the electoral college involved.

The party pledged to ensure "maximum debate" between the candidates as plans for a marathon seven-week election campaign were announced yesterday. Eight hustings will be held around the country, before the new leader is unveiled on Saturday September 13.

The election campaign follows the resignation of Wendy Alexander. She was unopposed when she won the leadership last year.

With Ms Jamieson stepping down as deputy leader of the party, both top posts are now open.

"The timetable has been drawn up to allow maximum debate in the party for both positions," Labour's Scottish general secretary Colin Smyth said.

"As well as the organised hustings debates, local parties and trade union branches will be able to discuss and debate the ideas brought up in the process.

"As many members as possible will be involved in the election. This will be a very exciting time for the Scottish Labour Party, as the candidates showcase their ideas and talents."

Nominations for both positions opened yesterday and close on Friday. Candidates need the support of five colleagues to go forward, and it is not clear if the other two MSPs who have put their hats in the ring, Charlie Gordon and Ken McIntosh, have the necessary support to go forward.

Mr Gray, the MSP for East Lothian, will launch his campaign on Thursday. He said yesterday that he was the "right choice" to expose the SNP's broken promises.

"I believe I can offer the party a new voice and a fresh start.

"Labour must re-establish trust with voters across Scotland by focusing on what matters to them, by working together as a party across all levels and by proving ourselves in holding the SNP administration to account more effectively."

Mr Kerr, who called for action to tackle alcohol and knife-related crime, also called for the leadership role in Scotland to be beefed up.

"I have to say I think the leader in Scotland needs to have a much wider voice, a much more influential voice and a much stronger voice. That's what I intend to say during the campaign."

Hustings meetings will take place in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Inverness, Dunfermline, Dundee, Glasgow, Stirling and Ayr before voting begins.

The electoral college is split into three sections. Local Labour party members are one of these, with MSPs, MPs and MEPs making up another, while affiliated trade unions make up the third.

These will be balloted on a one-member one-vote basis. Each section comprises a third of the vote towards leader and deputy leader.