Ian Murray, the former Scottish Secretary, has publicly criticised Prime Minister Keir Starmer for his "humiliating" removal from the cabinet during September's government reshuffle. Despite accepting a new ministerial role, Murray expressed deep dissatisfaction with the process and a lack of justification for his demotion.
'No Explanation' for Cabinet Sacking
In a frank interview with Holyrood magazine, Murray revealed that he has still not been given an explanation for why he was moved from his post as Secretary of State for Scotland. He was replaced by the recently returned former foreign secretary, Douglas Alexander. Murray stated that the absence of any reason from Number 10 was one of the hardest parts of the experience, alongside a perceived lack of recognition for his work.
"For me, the hardest part was the complete lack of any sort of recognition for doing a half-decent job," Murray said. "The second hardest bit is having no explanation of why I was sacked, and as we sit here today, I still don't have that despite me asking on a number of occasions."
Family Fury and Ministerial Dilemma
The Edinburgh South MP also disclosed that his wife was "absolutely furious" about the demotion, believing he was "massively under appreciated." She was reportedly angry about the balancing act he maintained between family life, parliamentary duties, and extensive travel across Scotland as one of the party's 37 Scottish MPs.
Murray admitted he was in two minds for five hours about whether to accept the new position offered to him. He ultimately agreed to become a technology minister, a role split between the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. In this capacity, he will take on significant responsibility for the government's flagship digital ID card initiative.
Unanswered Questions and Reshuffle Fallout
The minister's comments highlight ongoing discontent among several figures affected by the September reshuffle, which was designed to make way for new MPs. Murray directly questioned the logic behind his move, asking: "If I'm not good enough for the Scotland Office, why am I now number two in two major UK departments?"
He further criticised the "public humiliation" of the sacking process, describing the lack of clarity as an "unfair gap." His remarks provide a rare public glimpse into the internal tensions and personal frustrations that can follow major government reorganisations, even within a relatively new administration.
