Dugdale favourite to replace Murphy
SCOTTISH Labour deputy leader Kezia Dugdale has emerged as the clear favourite to take over the party f ollowing Jim Murphy’s sudden resignation.
The 33-year-old MSP has yet to formally throw her hat into the ring but has already won the backing of several senior Labour politicians.
With the party in chaos following its near wipeout in the General Election, calls are also mounting for Scottish Labour to break away from the UK party. UK leadership frontrunner Andy Burnham yesterday said ‘there is a case’ for more autonomy from central control. Miss Dugdale comfortably won the deputy leadership contest in December with 63 per cent of the vote.
Scotland’s only remaining Labour MP, Ian Murray, said yesterday: ‘I think deputy leader Kezia Dugdale has done a fantastic job at FMQs [First Minister’s Questions] holding the SNP to account, which is what the Scottish Labour Party should be doing.’
Miss Dugdale’s only main rival could be veteran Lothian MSP Sarah Boyack. She came third in last year’s leadership contest. The Mail understands Miss Boyack has not ruled out another attempt at taking the reins of the party.
But it is understood Labour health spokesman Jenny Marra is very unlikely to run for the leadership and is expected to support Miss Dugdale.
Another MSP tipped as a future leader, Drew Smith, yesterday told the Mail he would not be standing in this contest and would be ‘encouraging’ Miss Dugdale to put her name forward.
MSP Alex Rowley talked down the prospect of a leadership bid and added that ‘whoever comes forward, he or she would be standing for at least two Scottish elections’.