MP Jim Murphy named Scottish Labour leader

Former UK cabinet minister Jim Murphy has been elected Scottish Labour leader, declaring it his "driving purpose" to end poverty and inequality.

The MP, who stood against MSPs Neil Findlay and Sarah Boyack, also reached out to independence supporters to back his party's vision. Continue...

His leadership predecessor Johann Lamont quit the job after nearly three years in the post. Meanwhile, MSP Kezia Dugdale has been elected the party's new deputy leader.

UK Labour leader Ed Miliband and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon both congratulated the new leadership team.

Mr Murphy won the contest with 55.77% of the vote under the party's electoral college system.

Ms Lamont quit as leader in October, accusing her Westminster colleagues of treating Labour in Scotland like a "branch office".

Speaking in Glasgow, the East Renfrewshire MP and former Scottish secretary, said: "This is a fresh start for the Scottish Labour Party. Scotland is changing and so too is Scottish Labour."

Mr Murphy, who has said Scottish Labour will in future make all its own decisions, said he was aiming to defeat the SNP in the 2016 Scottish election and become first minister.

"While I'm proud that so many children from prosperous backgrounds do brilliantly at school, it makes me angry that it's three times harder to get good school results if you're from a poorer family than a prosperous family."

Source: BBC