SCOTTISH Labour leader Jim Murphy yesterday faced a storm of protest from across the political spectrum over his role as an adviser to a hard-right think tank.

The SNP, Scottish Greens and Communist Party of Britain — as well as human rights experts and left-wing Labour activists — all demanded Murphy’s resignation from the Henry Jackson Society, named after an anti-communist US senator (pictured).

Mr Murphy sits on the neoconservative society’s political advisory council.

The group includes “two cheers for capitalism” in its founding principles — witholding a third cheer out of a concern for environmental damage that does not extend to workers’ welfare.

It has become notorious for right-wing policies and inflammatory anti-Islamic and anti-immigration statements by directors Douglas Murray and Alan Mendoza.

Mr Murphy’s link to the group was called into question at the weekend by Amnesty International advocate Niall McCluskey, who said his association gave “the wrong kind of message for someone in his position.”

And Communist Party Scottish secretary Tommy Morrison told the Morning Star: “At his core this shows Jim Murphy is a hard right winger — despite some of his rhetoric in the recent Labour leadership election.

“It was a tribute to Neil Findlay that his principled leadership campaign moved the Scottish Labour agenda to the left and Murphy had to respond to that, but the lesson for us is we shouldn’t be conned about Murphy.

“It also shows the job the wider labour movement has to do in Scotland. These links will not endear Jim Murphy or Scottish Labour to the Scottish people.”

A Scottish Labour spokesman said: “Anyone who claims Jim Murphy is anti-Islamic or supports anti-Islamic views is making a pathetic political attack which says more about them than Mr Murphy.”

But Scottish Labour leftwinger Vince Mills, chair of the grassroots Campaign for Socialism, also called on Murphy sever his links with the body.

“He should resign from it immediately, given the reactionary stand it has taken on issues like immigration and international policy.

“Instead he should be focusing on efforts to reduce tension, like supporting international recognition for Palestine.”

SNP MSP for Glasgow Sandra White said yesterday that it was “an extraordinary role for a Labour leader in Scotland to be in, and a huge embarrassment to his party.”