Curran’s backing for Murphy in leadership contest

MARGARET Curran has given her backing to Jim Murphy in the Scottish Labour leadership contest after a phone poll suggested the election is balanced on a knife edge.

In a surprise move, the Shadow Scottish Secretary urged party members to vote for the East Renfrewshire MP before polls close tomorrow.

She had previously indicated she would not publicly back any of the three candidates vying to succeed Johann Lamont. But in an email to members, she emphasised the importance of the decision to Labour’s chances in May’s General Election.

Her intervention comes after Mr Murphy’s principal rival, Neil Findlay, revealed phone-poll findings suggesting the two men are neck and neck.

In her message to members, Ms Curran wrote: “I was not planning to publicly back a candidate in the Scottish Labour Party leadership election. But as this campaign has progressed it has become increasingly clear how important this decision is for the future of the Scottish Labour Party.”

She singled out as reasons for her support Mr Murphy’s pledges to promote women in his frontbench team, focus on education reforms, impose a 50p top rate of income tax on high earners and extend the living wage.

Ms Curran spoke out after former First Minister Jack McConnell said the new leader should not take the party sharply to the left. Though he stopped short of publicly backing any of the candidates, his words were interpreted as supportive of Mr Murphy.

At the weekend, the campaign team behind Mr Findlay — a left-winger who has won a string of endorsements from trades unions — predicted a dead heat.

The team said support for Mr Murphy and Mr Findlay was tied on 45 per cent, with Sarah Boyack, the third candidate, trailing a long way behind.

Scottish Labour deputy-leadership challenger Kezia Dugdale has called for greater devolution of powers to councils and communities. The Lothians MSP accused the SNP of a “relentless process of centralisation” which has caused a loss of local accountability for policing, transport and economic development.

The results will be announced on Saturday.