Jack McConnell hits out at Scottish Labour’s ‘score settling’

Former first minister Jack McConnell has criticised Labour “score settling” after the party’s disastrous general election result in Scotland.

Lord McConnell said he believed Jim Murphy could stay on but failed to back him wholeheartedly, calling instead for a period of reflection.

The Scottish Labour leader has come under pressure to follow UK leader Ed Miliband and step aside after his party was reduced to just one MP north of the border.

Trade unions Unite and Aslef have called on Mr Murphy to go and former leadership contender Neil Findlay MSP resigned from Labour’s Scottish shadow cabinet on Saturday.

Lord McConnell was asked if Mr Murphy could remain in the post during an appearance on the BBC’s Sunday Politics Scotland programme.

He said: “I think he can. I think we need a period of reflection. I think what we saw yesterday was a bit of a quick reaction.

“I don’t think this kind of blaming, or let me say score settling, puts the Scottish Labour Party on the right foot.”