The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Labour MP refuses to sign loyalty pledge as Brexit row rages on
VOW: Former frontbencher brands party’s move as ‘a little bit ridiculous’
A Scottish Labour MP has insisted he will not sign a “loyalty pledge” to the party’s leader.
Ian Murray said that, instead of trying to get politicians to back the commitment, the party’s leadership should be focused on trying to resolve the Brexit stalemate.
The loyalty vow reads: “I pledge to work for the achievement of a Labourled government under whatever leadership members elect. And I accept a Labour-led government is infinitely better than any other election outcome.”
Mr Murray, the Edinburgh South MP and former shadow Scottish secretary, described the pledge as a “little bit ridiculous”. It comes amid speculation that dissatisfaction with Jeremy Corbyn’s stance on Brexit could result in some MPs quitting the party.
The MP, who left Labour’s frontbench team after Jeremy Corbyn’s election as leader, told the BBC: “I won’t be signing it for a number of reasons, firstly because I think it is unnecessary and secondly it asks for a Labour-led government. I think we need a Labour majority government.”
Meanwhile his successor as shadow Scottish secretary, Lesley Laird, has been criticised for abandoning her call for Scotland to stay in the European single market.
When she was a councillor, the Fife MP seconded a motion that aimed to keep the country in the free movement zone after Brexit, but she has since retreated from that position.
A Fife Council motion in February 2017, backed by Ms Laird, said if the UK leaves the single market “alternative approaches within the UK should be sought that would ideally enable Scotland to retain its place within the single market”. Short of that the country must “retain as close a relationship to Europe as possible”, the motion added.
Peter Grant, an SNP MP in Fife, said: “It’s clear that Labour can’t be trusted to stand up for Scotland.”
A Scottish Labour spokesman said: “Labour has consistently called for as close alignment with the European single market as possible, while also recognising that it is essential for Scotland to retain open access to our largest market, the rest of the UK, which the SNP is putting at risk by continuing to agitate for independence.”
“It asks for a Labour-led government. I think we need a Labour majority government. IAN MURRAY MP