Neil Findlay confirms he will not run for Scottish Labour leader

Last week, Neil Findlay resigned from the Scottish Labour Shadow Cabinet – and while he insisted that he was not calling on Jim Murphy to resign, that his announcement came the same day as statements from two unions calling on Murphy to go. Following Murphy’s decision to stand down yesterday, Findlay has confirmed that he will not seek to replace him.

The MSP said:

“The last week has been a traumatic time for everyone in the Scottish Labour Party. We now need to get on with the urgent task of rebuilding our organisation, the morale of party members and the policies we need to restore the faith of the voters in the run up to the 2016 Scottish Parliament elections.

I hope to play my full part in that process but I also want to make it crystal clear that I will not be a candidate in the election for the position of Scottish Labour leader.

I hope that we can now move ahead as quickly as possible in electing a new leader who will begin the fightback by rebuilding a confident, effective Labour party, proud of our values whilst offering hope and a positive vision for the future.”

Findlay also tweeted his decision, saying he was keen to get back to watching television: