Labour at war again as sole Scottish MP slams shadow chancellor

Labour’s shadow Scottish secretary has launched a stinging attack on his shadow chancellor as the party’s infighting escalated further.

Ian Murray told Sunday Politics Scotland that “some people in the shadow cabinet, including the shadow chancellor, should really ramp down the rhetoric”.

His comments came after John McDonnell branded Progress, the political pressure group of which Scotland’s sole Labour MP is a member, a “narrow right wing clique” following a bloody reshuffle.

Edinburgh South representative Mr Murray said: “We’re all part of the same team and some of the words he chose in that particular interview were unnecessary.

“He should be trying to unite the party rather than ramping up rhetoric against parts of the party who are very loyal servants.”

Mr Murray confirmed he never thought about quitting during Jeremy Corbyn’s protracted reshuffle, despite openly backing Michael Dugher after he was sacked as shadow culture secretary.

He said: “My only concern at the moment is to make sure we put forward a policy platform for the 2016 Scottish elections that is radical, bold and is positive, to take the fight to the current Scottish Government and to try and win as many seats as possible at the Scottish parliamentary elections, while also holding this dreadful Conservative government at Westminster to account.

“I had no intention of resigning from the shadow cabinet as we are part of a team, we have got a big, big job to do as the official opposition in this country and that is why we will be working together as a team.

“That is why I think some of the language that has been used should be toned down slightly, and get back to what we should be doing and that is being the official opposition.”

Mr McDonnell had said: “There’s a group within the Labour Party who have a right-wing conservative agenda. Within Progress itself, there are some who are quite hard right, and I think they’ve never accepted Jeremy’s leadership.”