Ed Miliband in rallying call to Scottish Labour

Mr Miliband said Labour's devolution referendum in 1997 and the success of Labour-led Better Together demonstrates that the party has won tough battles in the past. Picture: Michael Gillen.

ED MILIBAND insists Labour’s general election battle “is no tougher than the fights we have faced in the past” - despite a new poll which suggests he is on course to lose 90% of his Scottish MPs to the SNP.

Mr Miliband acknowledged that Labour has had a “tough week” with the dramatic resignation of Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont, but said its general election success and devolution referendum in 1997 and the success of Labour-led Better Together in September demonstrates that the party has won tough battles in the past.

Scottish MP Jim Murphy has launched a campaign to lead Scottish Labour and end the streak of “losing Labour” following two poor Holyrood campaigns.

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He faces competition from MSPs Neil Findlay and Sarah Boyack, with many Labour members insisting an MSP should lead Scottish Labour to dispel Ms Lamont’s parting shot that UK Labour is treating it like “a branch office”.

A new Ipsos Mori poll for STV News found that 52% of Scots would vote for the