Minister Ian Murray demands explanation from Starmer after being sacked from cabinet
A Labor minister has publicly criticized Sir Keir Starmer after he received “no explanation” for why he was sacked from his cabinet post earlier this year, adding his wife was “furious” at the decision.
Culture minister Ian Murray broke ranks and hit out at Sir Keir’s decision to replace him as Scottish secretary; It’s a move that many in Scottish Labor are still unhappy with.
Mr Murray was the first person to be sacked in the reshuffle in September, when former deputy chancellor Angela Rayner resigned over failure to pay £30,000 in stamp duty on her new flat in Brighton.
His appointment to a senior post in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport came about after he was replaced by the current Scottish secretary, Douglas Alexander, following a backlash.
But in an interview holyrood Speaking to the magazine, Mr Murray made it clear that he was still disturbed by the experience.
He said he had still been given “no explanation” as to why he was dismissed, despite “asking several times”.
Mr Murray said: “The hardest part for me was there was no recognition whatsoever for doing a halfway decent job. That’s the hardest part.”
“The second hardest part is that there is no explanation as to why I was fired, and as I sit here today, I still can’t understand it, even though I’ve asked many times.
“Third was that I didn’t feel like I deserved public scorn. I really don’t know why this happened, and it feels like an unfair loophole.”
Speaking about his wife, he added: “It’s fair to say Mary was absolutely furious.”
Mr Murray said his wife felt “hugely under-appreciated” in the cabinet as she tried to balance family life, working alongside dozens of Scottish Labor MPs elected last year, sitting in government and traveling between London and Scotland.
“He was very angry that the Prime Minister did not make a statement,” he added.
That’s according to another minister in Sir Keir’s cabinet. Independent Mr Murray’s removal from his Scotland Office post last week was said to be “a mistake”.
The minister warned: “Ian was a team player and he never made it about him. Sacking him was very bad for morale. Douglas will want to take the credit if there is a victory.” [in the Holyrood election in May] but he will probably blame [Scottish leader] Enes [Sarwar] If things go bad.”
But Mr Alexander, who served as Scottish secretary in Sir Tony Blair’s government, is understood to be viewed as a “big monster” by key figures in Downing Street, including chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, who has extensive experience as an election campaign strategist.
He told reporters last week he was “optimistic” about Scottish Labour’s chances; especially with the arrival of former Tory minister and merchant banker Lord Offord as a possible leader of the Reformation in Scotland.
He believes Mr Sarwar could win the “presidential style” contest between the SNP’s first minister John Swinney and Lord Offord.
The Holyrood elections are likely to be a pivotal point in Sir Keir’s survival as prime minister.
If Labour’s results are poor in Scotland, Wales and London in May, the mayor of Greater Manchester is likely to be sacked, with speculation that Andy Burnham plans to return to take over.
Downing Street has reported that health secretary Wes Streeting is planning a coup and there is also speculation that energy secretary and former leader Ed Miliband wants to return, as well as a conspiracy around Ms Rayner becoming leader.
Sir Keir was forced to endure the humiliation of a cabinet minister he sacked during his reshuffle after former Commons leader Lucy Powell promptly won the deputy leadership contest, beating his preferred candidate, education minister Bridget Phillipson.
Meanwhile, Mr Murray also told how when he was offered his current ministerial posts at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, it took him five hours to consider whether to accept them.
This came the day after he was sacked as Scottish secretary, and Mr Murray recalled: “My biggest questions about returning to government were: Why wasn’t it offered to me then – and why hasn’t it been offered to me – why has this decision been made now and why?
“If I’m not good enough for the Scottish Office, why am I now ranked second in the UK’s two major divisions?”
But he said he was now enjoying his “meaty policy portfolio” and that the experience had taught him to “shout out” more about his achievements; It’s a lesson he believes Labor needs to learn ahead of next year’s Holyrood elections.
Mr Murray said the party had “already done so much” in government at Westminster and that “it is up to us as a party to trumpet our achievements because no one else will do it for us”.
