Jim Murphy resigns from Shadow Cabinet

Jim Murphy has stepped down from his role as Shadow Secretary for International Development to concentrate on his bid to become leader of the Scottish Labour Party. Murphy announced his decision saying:

“I want to dedicate myself full-time to changing Scotland and changing the Scottish Labour Party.

“It’s difficult to do that and to serve in the Shadow Cabinet, and therefore after talking to Ed Miliband over the past couple of days I’ve decided to stand down from the shadow cabinet.”

Murphy’s decision to leave the Shadow Cabinet will prompt a reshuffle of Labour’s frontbench, although we expect there to be minimal changes. It is likely that Anas Sarwar, who this week stepped down as Scottish Labour’s deputy leader, will be found a place in the new look Shadow Cabinet team.