MP KATY Clark was generous in defeat last week after losing to opponent Kezia Dugdale in the Scottish Labour Party deputy leadership election.

On her website she paid tribute to Ms Dugdale for ‘a real contest of ideas’ adding the result ‘is the beginning not the end of the campaign to reclaim the Labour Party for popular socialist ideas’.

Despite backing from several large unions, Ms Clark secured only 4.7 per cent of the votes of elected members against 28.63 per cent for Ms Dugdale in the electoral college.

Of ordinary members 11.2 per cent  voted for Ms Clark compared to 22.11 per cent for Ms Dugdale. Overall Ms Clark polled 37.11 per cent to Ms Dugdale’s 62.89.

Standing on a platform of a return to traditional Socialist ideas, Ms Clark had branded New Labour a ‘failure’ and promised to introduce radical policies such as full employment, a massive council house building programme, and ensuring a Living Wage.

The statement on her website said: “The campaign for a Scottish Labour Party which opposes austerity, privatisation and Trident and which instead argues for a mass programme of council house building, public ownership and tax justice has received huge support.

“This result signals the beginning not the end of the campaign to reclaim the Labour Party for popular socialist ideas.

“Thousands of Labour members voted for the most radical left wing policy platform which has been put before them for decades.

“I have also secured ten of thousands of votes across Scotland from those who have voted in the trade union section, as people have responded to my call for a Labour Party that opposes austerity, rejects privatisation and Trident.   “I would like to pay tribute to Kezia Dugdale for what has been a real contest of ideas as we have travelled Scotland.

"We now need to unite behind a clear message to win with a radical policy programme.” The leadership of the party was won by Jim Murphy.

Ms Clark said: “I would like to congratulate Jim on his election to Scottish Labour Party leader.

“There can be no doubt that the General Election cannot be fought as if it was business as usual. The leadership contest made it clear that there is a real need for radical solutions to address inequality.”