SCOTTISH LABOUR deputy leader Alex Rowley broke ranks with leader Kezia Dugdale yesterday, calling for members to unite under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership ahead of this weekend’s pro-Corbyn rally in Glasgow.

Mr Rowley accused Labour MPs of launching “a coup” against the Labour leader when they “had a duty to show leadership in time of great upheaval.”

He said the responsibility for Brexit lay squarely with the Tories rather than Mr Corbyn.

“The Tories have divided our country, jeopardised our economy and allowed far-right extremists to feel justified in attacking people on our streets,”

“We are witnessing the Tories at their weakest, in turmoil over a leadership election whilst Britain is leaderless — and now sadly we find ourselves in the same situation.”

He called on Labour MPs to “leave the internal party politics at the door and unite to find a way through the economic, social and constitutional crisis Britain now finds itself in.”

His comments come as Ms Dugdale brazenly claimed that she would “consider her position” if she were in Mr Corbyn’s place.

Mr Rowley, along with left-wing Labour MSPs Neil Findlay and Richard Leonard, signed a joint statement backing Mr Corbyn as the democratically elected leader and upholding “the democratic rights of Labour Party members.”

It states that Mr Corbyn’s campaign succeeded “because he offered an alternative to the austerity-driven divisions within our economy and society.”

They claimed the attempted plot to oust Mr Corbyn has “broken the hearts of Labour Party members across Britain.”

Party activists will stage a rally in Glasgow on Sunday in defence of Mr Corbyn’s leadership.

Speaking ahead of the rally, Unite Scotland political officer Jackson Cullinane said the actions of those trying to remove Mr Corbyn were “despicable, damaging and unnecessary” and called on members “who have given Jeremy such an overwhelming victory and mandate to reaffirm their support for him.”

He said that divisions had been caused by right-wing MPs who had “been plotting since day one” of Mr Corbyn’s leadership to remove him under false pretences.

Mr Cullinane added that it was “particularly lamentable that they have made their move at a time when Labour’s standing should be bolstered by Tory division and the opinion polls, issued immediately after the EU referendum, showing Labour support increasing.”

The rally is at 2pm on July 3rd at the STUC, 333 Woodlands Road, G3 6NG