FORMER MSP and anti-war campaigner John McAllion will not be renewing his membership of the Labour party.

The former Dundee East MP and MSP lost his seat to the SNP’s Shona Robison by only 90 votes at the elections in May and is likely to cut all ties with Labour when his party membership expires at the end of the year.

He was vocal in his opposition to war in Iraq. That, and his opposition to privatisation and staunch support for trade unions set him at odds with the leadership.

Mr McAllion said at the weekend that he did not think Old Labour existed any more, and swore never to be a part of New Labour.

“I am not and never have been part of New Labour,” he said. “What I’m doing now is racking my brains for ways to get rid of New Labour.

“The old Labour Party doesn’t exist anymore and to bring it back we’ve got to get rid of people like Tony Blair, Gordon Brown—and Jack McConnell.

“Tony Blair is one of the worst things ever to have happened to the Labour Party. He has destroyed the Labour Party.

“I’ve bowed out of politics so if I don’t renew my membership it’s a purely personal matter, but I’m still trying desperately to think of ways to bring the old Labour Party back.

Mr McAllion is now working for Oxfam and is involved with it in promoting fair trade.

“I have absolutely no intention of joining the Socialist Party,” he said. “I am, however, still a member of the Campaign for Socialism and speak at socialist conferences.”