A SCOTTISH Labour MP has sparked confusion with a bizarre statement about Edinburgh’s city centre.
Chris Murray – the MP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh – had posted on social media to celebrate the opening of the North Bridge after eight years of roadworks.
Sharing a video which he apparently filmed standing in the middle of the now-open road, Murray wrote: "North Bridge is fully open! Huge thanks to everyone involved in the mammoth repair job to get it reopened in both directions.”
Then came the corker.
“There is no one alive today who can remember a time when North Bridge was roadworks-free.”
North Bridge is fully open! Huge thanks to everyone involved in the mammoth repair job to get it reopened in both directions. There is no one alive today who can remember a time when North Bridge was roadworks-free. pic.twitter.com/IY4ozNacaQ
— Chris Murray MP (@ChrisMurrayMP) August 1, 2026
Although eight years is a long time, there are in fact millions – even billions – of people alive today who can remember a time when the North Bridge was roadworks-free.
A cursory glance at Google Maps, which retains archive images, shows that the bridge was completely open in 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2011. The list goes on. Those years are hardly beyond living memory.
Social media users have been quick to question Murray’s bizarre statement.
“What on earth is that second paragraph?” one user asked. “Does he think none of us were alive before the work started or is it an attempt at humour? Cannae wait for this clown to lose his seat at the next election!”
“Sweeping statement there, junior!!” a second wrote.
A third said: “I’m not even from the area but I know it’s been through an eight year repair. So unless there has been a Thanos snap and it’s reset everything eight years ago there will be people alive that knew a time without repair work,” one user wrote.
“Guy’s been here five minutes,” former Holyrood candidate Bonnie Prince Bob wrote.
It makes you wonder what talents Murray had to catch the eye of Labour’s candidate selection team.
Then you remember his mum is Baroness Margaret Curran.
