IAN Murray, Labour’s only remaining MP in Scotland, is lining up to stand for the deputy leadership of the UK party.

With the issue of Scotland’s future moving up the political agenda, it was reported yesterday that he regards a deputy leadership challenge as a chance to raise the profile of Scottish issues within Labour and widen the debate about the party’s direction.

Murray first won his Edinburgh South seat in 2010 and is the only Labour MP left in Scotland after a disastrous General Election result for the party both north and south of the Border.

Following his re-election with a huge 11,000-plus majority, Murray pinned much of the blame for Labour’s catastrophic defeat on Jeremy Corbyn.

Last week, he was passed over by Corbyn, who chose English MP Tony Lloyd to be his shadow Scottish secretary instead.

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Corbyn is to stand down when a new leader of UK Labour is elected early next year. His former deputy Tom Watson quit his position in November and did not fight the General Election. The move followed a series of clashes with Corbyn on anti-Semitism, Brexit and the party’s direction.

Richard Leonard, the Scottish Labour leader, is expected to stay on until at least the 2021 Holyrood election, but there is a vacancy for his deputy after Lesley Laird lost her Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath seat on December 12.

Reports yesterday suggested Dumbarton MSP Jackie Baillie was coming under pressure from MSPs and party members to throw her hat into the ring.

One leading supporter of Baillie told the Sunday Times: “The time for factions in the party is over and we need to include all the talents, and there needs to be balance in the leadership if we want to win again.”

Baillie’s Holyrood colleague Pauline McNeill is also understood to be considering standing for the deputy post.

Scottish Labour last week announced a review into its election rout that will include developing a “clear, constitutional offer” to the nation. The move came as senior figures questioned the party’s opposition to indyref2.