Neil Findlay quits Scottish Labour shadow cabinet

NEIL Findlay MSP has resigned from Labour’s Scottish shadow cabinet, citing the party’s “disaster” in the general election in Scotland.

Scottish Labour's Neil Findlay. Picture: Phil Wilkinson

Mr Findlay - who lost to Jim Murphy in the contest to be Scottish Labour leader last year - said the party’s problems are “wide ranging and deep” and require “radical solutions”.

The Lothian MSP said he wants to play a full part in “rebuilding” the party from the grassroots up, but can only do so “if free from the constraints of being a member of the shadow team”.

Submitting his resignation from the shadow cabinet at Holyrood - where he held the fair work, skills and training brief - Mr Findlay said: “Thursday’s election was a disaster for the Scottish Labour Party. Despite huge efforts by all concerned since 2007 we have gone from the dominant party of Scottish politics to a party with only 38 MSPs and one solitary MP.

“The problems of the Scottish Labour Party are wide ranging and deep. Radical solutions are needed and can only be implemented following a full, frank, open and democratic debate led by our loyal and hard working, committed party members - a centralised fix just won’t do.”