IAN Murray nearly quit the Labour Party last year to join the now-defunct Independent Group of rebel MPs.
The Edinburgh South MP even wrote and rehearsed his speech for their launch before pulling out at the last minute.
Murray, now the shadow Scottish secretary, was photographed practicing the speech in February 2019. The image has since emerged in a new book.
The Independent Group went on to form The Independent Group for Change, also known as Change UK. After failing to secure seats in the European Parliament election six of its MPs left.
The party was dissolved following the 2019 General Election after three of its MPs stood, but none were re-elected.
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Murray changed his mind about joining The Independent Group because the prospect of an official Labour candidate contesting his Edinburgh South seat would have meant splitting the vote, allowing an opposing candidate to win.
Journalist Patrick Maguire’s book Left Out details how close Murray came to leaving Labour under Jeremy Corbyn.
The book states Murray told friends: "I didn't want to hand my seat to someone from the Corbyn wing of the party and felt loyalty to all the people who had worked so hard to help me win over the years."
Murray was a vocal critic of Corbyn and stood against antisemitism targeted against Jewish MPs, including his friend Luciana Berger.
The MP is on paternity leave currently but a friend said: “Ian wanted to support his friend Luciana and others who had faced such disgusting racism while Corbyn stood by and did nothing. But he was right to stay and fight given the party is now under new management."
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