during the Scottish League Cup Quarter Final match at Celtic Park, Glasgow. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday October 29, 2014. See PA story SOCCER Celtic. Photo credit should read: Danny Lawson/PA Wire. EDITORIAL USE ONLY
The Scottish Labour party has announced that Jim Murphy will be its new leader.
Mr Murphy, MP for East Renfrewshire, was elected with more than half of the vote, ahead of Holyrood health spokesman Neil Findlay and former Scottish Executive minister Sarah Boyack.
The leadership contest was sparked when Johann Lamont stood down suddenly, accusing colleagues in Westminster of treating Scotland like a “branch office”.
Kezia Dugdale, MSP for the Lothian region, was also elected as the party’s deputy leader.
Mr Murphy, a former Scottish secretary, picked up a total of 55.7% of the votein the leadership contested, putting him ahead of nearest rival Mr Findlay, whosecured 34.99% and Ms Boyack, who came in third with 9.24%.
Afterwards he said it was a “remarkable honour”.
Mr Murphy, addressing Labour party members at the Glasgow Emirates Arena, declared: “This is a fresh start for Scottish Labour.
“Scotland is changing and so too must Scottish Labour. I’m ambitious for our party because I’m ambitious for our country.”
