JIM Murphy, the man who led Labour to its worst ever election result in Scotland, has since earned almost £150,000 as a political consultant.

Murphy set up his firm Arden Strategies Limited, named after the Glasgow housing scheme where he grew up, in October 2015, months after Labour’s crushing loss of 40 of its 41 seats to the SNP at the General Election. According to its latest accounts, Murphy paid himself £56,500 in tax-efficient dividends in 2016, followed by £89,700 in 2017.

Despite the catastrophic result, in which Murphy was among the MPs to lose their seats, Arden Strategies says it offers “outstanding” election advice.

Its website says: “We are led by a senior team of former politicians who are steeped in the fast-paced and high-pressure atmosphere of election planning and execution.”