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LABOUR’S shadow Scottish secretary was told to “show some humility” today after claiming supporters of Jeremy Corbyn will find themselves “20,000 leagues under the sea” if factionalism in the party continues.
Ian Murray said ideological infighting within the party must stop under new leader Sir Keir Starmer.
Mr Murray, who failed in his bid for Labour’s deputy leadership, issued a plea to members to unite and rebuild in order to be a credible alternative rather than a “diminishing opposition party.”
Scotland’s only remaining Labour representative in Westminster shared a warning message to left-wing party members.
He told the Press Association: “If they’ve tied themselves to Jeremy Corbyn's mast then they’re 20,000 leagues under the sea at the moment because the ship has gone down.
“It’s time to move on.
“I just plead with everyone, the membership, the trade unions and affiliates — anyone who has any care for the Labour Party — look at how you felt on December 13.
“If we ignore [the public] and say that we won the argument but lost the election and the voters are wrong, then we’ll just end up in perpetual decline.”
In response, Labour MSP Neil Findlay told the Star: “The irony meter has just exploded.
“Ian Murray has been at the forefront of ideological and factional attacks on Jeremy Corbyn, his entire shadow team and those who supported them for the last five years.
“All of us want the Labour Party to win, but I would ask Mr Murray to have some humility and not treat party members as fools.
“If he is genuine about ending discord in the Labour Party he has to acknowledge his role in creating that discord.”
Prior to the 2016 Labour leadership election, Edinburgh South MP Mr Murray resigned from the shadow cabinet, claiming Mr Corbyn was “not able to lead” the party. He then refused to rejoin the front-bench team until a set of demands were met.
Following December’s general election, Ian Murray claimed that the “policy and ideology” of Corbyn’s team “had to go,” after facing a battle to retain his candidacy with Unite members calling for a reselection contest.
