THREE contenders are now standing for the job of Labour leader, Jim Murphy, Neil Findlay and Sarah Boyack.

Mr Murphy has appointed Rutherglen MSP James Kelly and North East MSP Jenny Marra as his campaign co-ordinators.

He is the best known of the contenders having been briefly Scottish Secretary under Gordon Brown and a UK front bench spokesman on defence and international affairs.

He became an MP in 1997 at the age of 29, after a spell as leader of the National Union of Students and nine years at university without graduating, he worked for the Labour Party before he was elected.

Mr Murphy said he wanted to unite the party and return it to power at Holyrood.

He said: "I'm not interested in left-wing Labour or right-wing Labour, old Labour or new Labour. I'm interested in losing Labour. I want to end that period of losing Labour here in Scotland, starting with the UK general election in 2015."

Mr Findlay is the candidate considered the most left wing.

Two years younger than Mr Murphy, the Lothians MSP was elected in 2011 and has previously worked as a teacher, housing officer and bricklayer and has a degree in politics and geography.

Mr Findlay said social ­justice was his aim.

He said "I want to bring the Labour Party together to work for progressive change and create a fairer, more equal and prosperous Scotland. If elected Labour leader I will put the issue of social justice at the heart of everything we do."

Ms Boyack has served as minister under the three previous Labour First Ministers and has been an MSP since 1999.

The 53-year-old, Glasgow University politics graduate, worked as a planning officer and planning lecturer before becoming an MSP.

She said: "The key thing is what does the Labour Party stand for, how can we work together and how can we support people around the country?"