Former ambassador claims SNP dropped him because of ‘bedroom tax’ stance

A former UK ambassador who hoped to stand for parliament as an SNP candidate claims he’s been dropped by the party over a row about the so-called ‘bedroom tax’.

Craig Murray, the former ambassador to Uzbekistan who was rector of Dundee University from 2007-10, said he was “upset” at failing to secure SNP backing to stand as an MP in the 2015 general election.

The decision came, he said, after he was asked by SNP bosses if he would back a vote in favour of the bedroom tax if instructed by their top brass.

He claims when he said he wouldn’t he was barred from the SNP candidates’ register.

He said: “I really believed we were building a different kind of politics in Scotland.

“I had very, very strong support from ordinary members to be the candidate in Falkirk or in Airdrie, and had 17 requests to stand from other constituencies, several from branch meetings.”

An SNP spokeswoman refused to comment on his deselection but added: “The SNP is and remains completely opposed to the Tories’ hated bedroom tax and it is a matter of record that our MPs voted against it at Westminster.”