Commenting after the Labour party in East Lothian deselected Anne Moffat, Liberal Democrat candidate for East Lothian Stuart Ritchie said: “Labour are going to parachute in a candidate, who probably won’t know or understand the issues the people of East Lothian face every day. They’ll just parrot Labour’s tired old lines.

“It doesn’t matter to the people of East Lothian who the Labour candidate is. Because whoever they end up with, Labour are falling apart here. The Liberal Democrats are in second place and fighting hard.

“In Iain Gray’s back yard the Labour party are weak and discredited.

“Gray, Moffat and the local Labour party should have been concerned with the proposed closure of the Cadet school in Haddington, the state of East Lothian Town Centres, and potential ward closures in East Lothian hospitals.

“Instead for the last three years all they have been interested in is their own personal feuds and egos.

“It’s a shame East Lothian will have to wait another seven weeks to get rid of Labour and elect an MP who will fight for their constituents and properly represent them in Parliament."