Jim Murphy will resign after surviving confidence vote

Jim Murphy will tender his resignation as Scottish Labour leader next month after surviving a vote of no confidence from the Scottish party.

He said he will stand down at the next meeting of the Scottish Executive after compiling a "comprehensive strategic report" on the election defeat, after which Kezia Dugdale will step up into the role until an election is held.

"In leaving the party, I want to make it stronger." he said.

He was backed by 17 votes to 14. "This was a terrible election defeat, both north and south of the border," he said, and the party needs "a plan to win back supporters".

Murphy launched a blistering attack in union leader Len McCluskey, who "behind a big desk in London shouldn't dictate was the Scottish Labour party does". The UNITE boss, Murphy said, had blamed Scottish Labour for the defeat of the party at a UK level, which was "simply not true".

The vote for his successor should be made by one member one vote, he said, and the idea would form part of his report. 

He also criticised his predecessors Johann Lamont and Henry McLeish for quitting as leader suddenly, leaving the party no time to rebuild. "The party needs stability, and I want to be part of that stability," he said.