MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy announced Saturday his plans to resign next month since his standing as the party's head would continue to divide it.
Murphy was under heavy criticism recently after the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP) has taken a record lead over Labour in Scotland in the general election held on May 7. SNP won 56 seats at Westminster – as opposed to six seats it had in the previous British parliament – while Labour came away with only one seat.
The incumbent leader survived a vote of no confidence at the party's national executive meeting in Glasgow earlier in the day, but still decided to leave his post.
"It is clear that a small minority who didn't accept my election as leader of the Scottish Labour Party just five months ago won't accept the vote of the executive today and that will continue to divide the party," Murphy said as quoted by the BBC.
He added that before he leaves the post, he will propose a plan to reform the party.
Until Murphy's permanent successor is found, his deputy Kezia Dugdale will serve as the party's acting leader.
