KEIR Starmer has reinstated sacked Scottish secretary Ian Murray to his government in a demoted role.
Murray was kicked out of the UK Government in a shock move on Friday afternoon, as the Prime Minister began a wider reshuffle of his Cabinet.
Responding to the firing, which reportedly happened over the phone, Murray emphasised how he had twice been Labour's sole MP in Scotland.
But within a day of being removed from the UK Government, Murray was appointed a role in a junior ministerial reshuffle.
Murray has become a minister jointly in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
Starmer’s removal of Murray was said to have prompted anger from Scottish Labour, with many putting the party's success in Scotland down to Murray who had served as Scottish Labour's only MP after the 2015 election saw Labour lose 40 out of its 41 seats to the SNP.
Murray made no comment on Saturday in reaction to the appointment, only resharing the announcement on social media.
Douglas Alexander (below), who served as Scottish Secretary under Tony Blair from 2006-2007, was confirmed as Murray's replacement on Friday.
Alexander lost his Paisley and Renfrewshire South Westminster seat to the young SNP candidate Mhairi Black in a surprise upset in 2015, returning to Parliament in 2024.
He had served in both Blair and Gordon Brown's governments, with roles also including transport secretary and international development secretary.
He is currently the co-chair of Scottish Labour's election campaign for next year's Holyrood elections.
