The widow of former Labour leader John Smith has backed Ian Murray's bid for re-election in Edinburgh South.

Elizabeth Smith, who lives in the constituency, praised Mr Murray for speaking up for ordinary people - the reason she said her husband has gone into politics.

Mrs Smith said: "My late husband, John Smith, said: 'Why would anyone go into politics unless it was to speak up for people who can't speak up for themselves?' Ian has always spoken up for ordinary people."

Mr Murray said he was honoured to have her backing because John Smith was his political hero.

"His legacy was the reason I stood for election in the first place," he added.

Mr Murray won Labour's only Westminster seat in Scotland in 2015.

The election was a disaster for the party which lost 40 of the 41 seats it had taken in 2010.

But Mr Murray faces a tough challenge from the SNP in June.

He has called on voters who oppose a second independence referendum to back him and "send a message to Nicola Sturgeon".