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Labour MSP Neil Findlay to quit Holyrood Labour MSP Neil Findlay to quit Holyrood
(32 minutes later)
MSP Neil Findlay has quit Scottish Labour's front bench and is to stand down from the Scottish Parliament at the next election.MSP Neil Findlay has quit Scottish Labour's front bench and is to stand down from the Scottish Parliament at the next election.
The Lothians MSP was the party's Brexit spokesman and business manager, and he ran its European election campaign.The Lothians MSP was the party's Brexit spokesman and business manager, and he ran its European election campaign.
He said he had been thinking about his position for six months, and had decided to step down in March.He said he had been thinking about his position for six months, and had decided to step down in March.
However, he urged the party to end its "eternal internal fighting" and "toxic culture of leaks and briefings".However, he urged the party to end its "eternal internal fighting" and "toxic culture of leaks and briefings".
Scottish leader Richard Leonard said he was "very sorry" that Mr Findlay was stepping down and praised his "outstanding" work as an MSP.Scottish leader Richard Leonard said he was "very sorry" that Mr Findlay was stepping down and praised his "outstanding" work as an MSP.
Mr Findlay was previously a Labour councillor in West Lothian, and has been an MSP since 2011. An ally of Jeremy Corbyn, he was closely involved in Mr Leonard's campaign to become Scottish Labour leader in 2018.Mr Findlay was previously a Labour councillor in West Lothian, and has been an MSP since 2011. An ally of Jeremy Corbyn, he was closely involved in Mr Leonard's campaign to become Scottish Labour leader in 2018.
In his resignation letter, Mr Findlay said he had been "considering this for the last six months and made my final decision in March following discussions with my family, my staff and close friends".In his resignation letter, Mr Findlay said he had been "considering this for the last six months and made my final decision in March following discussions with my family, my staff and close friends".
He said it had been "an enormous privilege" to serve the Scottish Labour Party as a councillor and an MSP, and said he would continue to work "hard and diligently" until the 2021 election.He said it had been "an enormous privilege" to serve the Scottish Labour Party as a councillor and an MSP, and said he would continue to work "hard and diligently" until the 2021 election.
Mr Findlay said he believed the party needed to have a "clear and easily understood position on the constitution" and "end the eternal internal fighting within our party and the toxic culture of leaks and briefings that come from some within the Scottish and UK parliamentary groups".Mr Findlay said he believed the party needed to have a "clear and easily understood position on the constitution" and "end the eternal internal fighting within our party and the toxic culture of leaks and briefings that come from some within the Scottish and UK parliamentary groups".
There had been calls for action from some in Labour following the European elections, which saw Labour finish fifth in Scotland with less than 10% of the vote.There had been calls for action from some in Labour following the European elections, which saw Labour finish fifth in Scotland with less than 10% of the vote.
The party has been urged to examine what went wrong with the campaign, which was organised by Mr Findlay.The party has been urged to examine what went wrong with the campaign, which was organised by Mr Findlay.
Johanna Baxter, a member of the Scottish party's executive committee, said the result was "a failure of leadership on the biggest issue facing our country for generations".Johanna Baxter, a member of the Scottish party's executive committee, said the result was "a failure of leadership on the biggest issue facing our country for generations".
On Monday, Mr Leonard said he was "humbled by the scale of the defeat", and gave his backing to holding another referendum on Brexit.On Monday, Mr Leonard said he was "humbled by the scale of the defeat", and gave his backing to holding another referendum on Brexit.
In his reply to Mr Findlay's resignation letter, Mr Leonard said he was "very sorry" about the decision but said "I know from our conversations that this is the right decision for you personally".In his reply to Mr Findlay's resignation letter, Mr Leonard said he was "very sorry" about the decision but said "I know from our conversations that this is the right decision for you personally".
He said: "I agree with you very much that our party will only advance when we decisively look outward to the public rather than in on ourselves, and I am pleased that you will be using your remaining time here to build the movement that will help us achieve this objective.He said: "I agree with you very much that our party will only advance when we decisively look outward to the public rather than in on ourselves, and I am pleased that you will be using your remaining time here to build the movement that will help us achieve this objective.
"Tony Benn famously left the House of Commons to spend more time on politics, and I am sure that this approach will be a very good precedent for the next phase of your contribution.""Tony Benn famously left the House of Commons to spend more time on politics, and I am sure that this approach will be a very good precedent for the next phase of your contribution."
SNP MSP Humza Yousaf tweeted that Mr Findlay was "abandoning a sinking ship", adding that it "truly does feel like an existential moment for Scottish Labour".SNP MSP Humza Yousaf tweeted that Mr Findlay was "abandoning a sinking ship", adding that it "truly does feel like an existential moment for Scottish Labour".
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said she was not sure that she had "ever agreed on anything" with Mr Findlay, but said he was "an important and challenging voice in Holyrood and will be missed".