Former Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy has said he will be a party member “until my last breath” after claims he allowed his membership to fall into arrears because he is unhappy about Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.
There was confusion on Tuesday when a Labour Party spokesman admitted that his membership is “technically in arrears” before issuing a statement which said he is a “fully paid up member”.
Sources said the ex-East Renfrewshire MP, who still lives in the constituency, had not been involved in campaigning and was not attending party meetings.
A Labour spokesman confirmed that his party membership was “technically in arrears”.
It was claimed by party insiders that Mr Murphy was concerned about the direction of the party under Jeremy Corbyn.
The Labour spokesman later issued a statement which said: “Jim Murphy is a fully paid up member of the Labour Party and there has been no break in his membership.”
Mr Murphy did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday but he took to Twitter the following day to underline his commitment to the Labour Party, stating: “I'm 100% paid up in my fees & will be Labour until my last breath.”
Mr Murphy stepped down as Scottish Labour leader after the SNP won 56 of 59 Westminster seats, including his own, leaving the party with one MP in Scotland.
The former secretary of state for Scotland has since set himself up as a consultant. Arden Strategies Limited was incorporated at Companies House in October last year with Mr Murphy as the sole director and shareholder.
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