13 February 2023 , 12:52
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A former Labour Cabinet minister in Tony Blair's Government is seeking to make a comeback at Westminster - almost 8 years after losing his seat.
Douglas Alexander, who also served in Gordon Brown's Cabinet, left Parliament in 2015 after losing his Paisley and Renfrewshire South seat to the SNP's Mhiari Black.
He was among 40 Labour MPs to lose their seats as the pro-independence party made massive gains in Scotland at the general election.
The Labour veteran is now seeking to return to the Commons, standing as the party’s candidate for East Lothian at the next election - expected in 2024.
It comes as Keir Starmer's party continues to maintain a healthy lead over the Tories with some raising the prospect of a 1997-style landslide for Labour.
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Last week, the party comfortably held onto West Lancashire with a 10% swing at a by-election - with the Tories suffering their worst result for decades.
Douglas Alexander with ex-Labour PM Gordon Brown (Getty Images)Announcing he had been selected for the Scottish seat, Mr Alexander posted on social media: "He's running!
"Humbled and grateful to be overwhelmingly selected today by local party members as Scottish Labour's candidate for East Lothian.
"Change is coming to our country and I'm determined to play my part in winning East Lothian back to Scottish Labour".
But the left-wing campaign group Momentum - set up during Jeremy Corbyn ’s leadership of the party - expressed concern at the selection.
A source in the group said: “It’s the full-blooded restoration of the New Labour ancien régime”.
The constituency will be one of Scottish Labour’s top targets at the next election and is currently held by the ex-Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill.
Mr Alexander served in several ministerial roles during Mr Blair’s Government from 2001, including the Foreign Office, before being appointed Secretary of State for Scotland in May 2006.
He was then appointed International Development Secretary when Mr Brown was given the keys to No10 in June 2007.