Union pushes for deselection of Labour MP Ian Murray from Edinburgh seat

Scottish Labour’s most senior MP is facing an attempt to oust him from his seat by the UK’s biggest union.
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Unite has indicated it will vote to force Ian Murray, the MP for Edinburgh South, into a full re-selection contest at a constituency meeting on Thursday.

One-third of members or affiliates must support a “trigger ballot” to force a selection contest on a sitting MP.

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Labour MP Ian Murray. Picture: Steven Scott TaylorLabour MP Ian Murray. Picture: Steven Scott Taylor
Labour MP Ian Murray. Picture: Steven Scott Taylor
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It was unclear last night whether Unite’s membership in the constituency was large enough to reach the required threshold.

Mr Murray, a former shadow Scottish Secretary who resigned in protest at Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, was the only Scottish Labour MP elected in 2015, and is understood to be the only Scottish MP targeted by Unite.

Former acting Labour leader Harriet Harman posted on twitter that Unite’s decision was “total madness”.

In a statement, Mr Murray said: “It is disappointing that in the week where I’m leading the People’s Vote campaign in Scotland and working around the clock to maintain the cross-party coalition that’s defeating Boris Johnson’s disastrous Brexit in order to protect workers’ jobs and rights, that this is Unite’s priority.

“My constituents are my priority and I won’t be distracted from fighting for them.”