Would-be Scottish Labour leader Ken Macintosh said the party had to start talking about what it stands for – rather than just criticising the SNP.
The father-of-six, who went to primary school in Skye and Oban, said the party had not lost overnight, but had suffered a long, steady decline.
He added: “I want to change our style, our approach, our policies, our strategy. I don’t want to just bash the SNP all the time.
“The reason I’m standing is to give people hope, specifically because I think we can win again.
“But it’s not about the Labour Party winning in the end, it’s about doing the things the people of Scotland want.”
He disagrees with the idea of creating a separate Labour Party in Scotland, but is in favour of a formal agreement which recognises the autonomy of the Scottish section.
For Mr Macintosh, who lives with his family in East Renfrewshire, this is his second attempt at grasping the reins.
The 53-year-old first ran in 2011, when he was beaten by Johann Lamont, having previously considered throwing his hat into the ring in 2008.
He said he was pleased with how the campaign had gone this time around, but insisted he would be fighting to the very end.
“The difficulty is trying to get beyond politics,” he added.
“It’s difficult to get to members, but having said that there’s no doubt my campaign has caught the imagination.
“I’m the one offering change. Everyone likes what I’m saying, all the members like it.
“When we ever have a discussion people warm to me, whether that’s enough I don’t know.”
The Eastwood MSP is the son of Dr Farquhar Macintosh, a Gaelic speaker from Skye and leading intellectual within the Scottish education system.