A Fife councillor has emerged as the favourite to replace Gordon Brown at Westminster, despite a number of names being in the frame.
As revealed in The Courier, Kirkcaldy Central representative Kenny Selbie, is the first choice of a number of senior Labour figures.
That means he would start from a position of strength were he to throw his hat in the ring to stand for the Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath constituency at next year’s general election.
However, the size of majority in what polls predict will be a difficult election for Labour will likely make the seat much coveted.
Mr Selbie, who works as an equalities officer for West Lothian Council, was placed beside MSPs and other VIPs in the Old Kirk on Monday night as the former prime minister announced he was standing down.
One of the other names tipped to be in the frame is Mr Brown’s former advisor and speechwriter, Kirsty McNeill.
She spent three years at Downing Street coordinating various campaign and communication projects during Labour’s time in government.
“The reality is if Gordon wants Kirsty then people will be told to make it happen,” said a senior party insider.
It is understood Mr Brown has previously looked favourably at Ms McNeill as a potential successor, although it is unclear what his position is now, and influential figures within the local party suggested she may suffer because of a lack of Fife connections.
Also being mentioned as possibilities were Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay councillor Gavin Yates and former MSP John Park.
However, the two were both seen very much as outsiders with one source saying of Mr Park, now assistant general secretary at the Community trade union: “He will struggle to find many supporters.”
Meanwhile, it has been claimed that Mr Brown believed Jim Murphy used the independence campaign to further his claims for the Labour leadership.
A book by Telegraph editor Alan Cochrane alleges the ex-prime minister thought the former Scottish secretary “had ingratiated himself with Better Together to the extent that he is taking it over.”
Mr Murphy won widespread plaudits for his 100-venue one-man campaign of speeches in favour of Scotland remaining in the UK.
After Mr Brown criticised the Better Together tactics in a London speech, Mr Murphy hit back, reportedly telling Mr Cochrane: “We are bending over backwards to help this guy and this is what we get.”