JIM MURPHY was left red-faced on Thursday night when a group of young trade unionists walked out of a trade union dinner in protest at his presence.

The Scottish Labour leader was invited to attend the president’s dinner at the Scottish Trade Union Congress in Ayr.

But youth activists from Unite and Unison accused him of being a “warmonger” and an “enemy of working people.”

The five-strong gang of protesters included Unite executive council member Bryan Simpson and former STUC youth committee chairwoman Sarah Collins.

Mr Simpson told the CommonSpace website that he had confronted Mr Murphy before the first course had been dished out.

“I said to him: ‘Hi Jim, just to let you know a number of young trade unionists cannot be in the same room as you as you are a warmonger and an enemy of working people’.”

Another young activist, Sukhi Sangha, reportedly told Mr Murphy that “he was a warmonger and shouldn’t be here” to which the Scottish Labour leader reportedly replied: “Thank you.”

The stunt divided opinion among trade unionists, with some activists criticising the walk-out as divisive so soon before the general election.