A furious row has erupted within Labour after the party’s new shadow Scottish Secretary refused to rule out a possible coalition with the SNP.

Dave Anderson said that Labour “may well” have to consider some sort of arrangement with Nicola Sturgeon’s party in order to form a government at Westminster.

HIs comments prompted a angry response from Scottish Labour, which said it was opposed to any deal.

Read more: New shadow Scottish Secretary refuses to rule out possible coalition with SNP

The row marks another dip in relations between Jeremy Corbyn’s team and Scottish Leader Kezia Dugdale.

She has already called for him to resign after 8 in 10 of his own MPs said they no longer had confidence in his leadership.

The then shadow Scottish Secretary Ian Murray also quit, joining a 50-strong walkout of Mr Corbyn's frontbench.

He was replaced by Mr Anderson who is currently on a two-day visit to Scotland.

In an interview he told The Herald, the English MP said it was "far too early to be even thinking about (a coalition)... I would hope we don’t ever need one".

However, he added: “If we get further down that line we may well have to consider it.

"But in the meantime, we have a new leader who has (been in charge) for only 10 months."

Read more: New shadow Scottish Secretary refuses to rule out possible coalition with SNP

The MP for Blaydon, near Newcastle, also called on all Labour MPs, including Mr Murray, to back the party's new leader.

Such a change of heart could see Mr Anderson lose his job, but he joked that that was the "least" of his worries.

A Scottish Labour spokesman said: "Scottish Labour doesn't support any UK Government deal with the SNP. We will always campaign for a Labour Government, whether at Holyrood or Westminster."

Scottish Labour MPs urged then leader Ed Miliband to rule out any deal in the run up to last year’s General Election.

Many were furious when he initially rejected only a formal coalition, although he did rule out an informal working arrangement just days before voters went to the polls.

Read more: New shadow Scottish Secretary refuses to rule out possible coalition with SNP

The issue was seized on by the Conservatives who produced attack posters depicting a tiny Mr Miliband in the pocket of then First Minister Alex Salmond.

Labour MPs feared that voters would get the message that they could vote SNP and still get a Labour government.

Last week Labour leadership contender Owen Smith ruled out any deal with the SNP, saying they were not a "proper social democratic party".

Today Mr Anderson will visit Aberdeen to meet North Sea oil workers and shop stewards, who recently took part in their first strike in almost three decades.

Speaking before his trip he said he was "coming to Aberdeen to listen and to help".

“If the industry is to thrive, we need companies to co-operate with their workers and treat them fairly," he said.