Labour MP Ian Murray reselected as Edinburgh South candidate despite union challenge

Labour MP Ian Murray has seen off an attempt by trade union Unite to have him deselected in the Edinburgh South constituency after the move was overwhelmingly rejected in a vote of local members tonight.

Ian Murray

All four member branches in the constituency backed the 37-year-old’s his reselection in a meeting. Trade union and affiliate branches also rejected a selection contest, with the exception of Unite.

“It is a huge honour to have been reselected as Labour’s candidate in Edinburgh South for the forthcoming General Election,” Murray said afterwards.

“Representing my home city of Edinburgh is a great privilege, and I have always put this constituency first and foremost.”

Unite had moved to deselect Murray claiming he had “consistently undermined” the party leadership.

Murray was the only Labour MP left in Scotland when he held the seat in 2015, after he was first elected to represent Edinburgh South in 2010 with a majority of 316.

In 2017, he won for a third time with a majority of 15,514 – the largest of any MP from any party in Scotland.

He added: “I am also extremely grateful to the hundreds of people in Edinburgh South and further afield, from all parties and none, who have been in touch in recent days to offer their support and kind words.”