Key players in Labour leadership contest

The long-term ally of Gordon Brown will take over as interim leader but has already ruled himself out of the race to replace Ms Dugdale.

Mr Rowley has been the party deputy leader for the past two years, but clashed with Ms Dugdale last year over her calls for Jeremy Corbyn to stand down.

He insisted yesterday that he has no ambition to be First Minister of Scotland and the next Labour leader must prepare to fill this role.