Union boss defends his failed attempt to oust Scots Labour MP
● Mccluskey brands Murray’s behaviour towards Corbyn as ‘contemptuous’
Unite boss Len Mccluskey has defended his union’s failed attempt to unseat Ian Murray, the Labour MP with the largest majority in Scotland, saying he “had to be called out” because of his lack of support for Jeremy Corbyn.
The Unite union triggered a selection ballot last week in an attempt to prevent Mr Murray frombeinglabour’scandidate at the next general election.
However, the bid to oust Mr Murray, who in 2015 was the only Labour MP in Scotland, failed by 158 member votes to 13, with Unite the only union failing to back him.
Mr Murray is one of Labour’s most vocal anti-brexit campaigners and was the only one of his party’s seven Scottish MPS to face a selection contest after Unite accused him of systematically undermining Jeremy Corbyn.
Speaking at the union’s Scottish policy conference in Ayr, Mr Mccluskey said the contest had also come about because of Mr Murray’s attacks on Unite and his resignation as shadow Scottish secretary due to a lack of confidence in Mr Corbyn’s leadership. Mr Murray has previously attacked Mr Mccluskey’s stance on Brexit, accusing him of being “willing to ignore the plight of the workers he represents by standing in the way of a public vote on Brexit despite it being party policy”.
Mr Mccluskey said Unite members saw the actions of Mr Murray as “contemptuous”. However, he insisted the union knew it would not manage to unseat the MP, who boasts a majority of 15,514 in his constituency.
He said: “We knew full well there was no chance of unseating Ian. He was always going to get the support of his constituency. But his behaviour – and this was the view of our Scottish membership, which I personally support – needed to be called out.”
He added that Mr Murray had been a “constant critic” of Jeremy Corbyn and has also attacked the Unite union. “It’s as simple as this; if people want to do that, then we will call them out,” he said.
Responding to Mr Mccluskey, Mr Murray said the union leadership “made a fool of themselves” in the deselection bid.
“Len Mccluskey would be better spending his time defendingthejobsofhismembers from Brexit rather than attacking me,” he said. “He’s so out of touch he doesn’t even know that I’ve been re-selected and re-elected since I resigned from the shadow cabinet.
“Len claims to be a democrat, so he should practice what he preaches.” Jeremy Corbyn has said he “backs all Labour candidates”.