NORTH Ayrshire Labour members have voted to nominate Keir Starmer to become the party’s next leader.

Cunninghame South and Cunninghame North Constituency Labour Parties both backed the Holborn and St Pancras MP to replace Jeremy Corbyn but the two constituencies were split over who should be the party’s next deputy leader.

Cunninghame South voted to nominate Angela Rayner for the deputy role while members in Cunninghame North voted for Scotland’s only Labour MP Ian Murray.

In the 2015 Labour leadership contest, Cunninghame South nominated Yvette Cooper while a year later they backed Jeremy Corbyn in the 2016 contest.

Rebecca Long-Bailey, Lisa Nandy, Sir Keir Starmer and Emily Thornberry are all standing to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader while Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, Richard Burgon, Dawn Butler, Ian Murray and Angela Rayner are standing for UK deputy leader.

The ballot opens on Monday, February 24 with the results being announced on Saturday, April 4.

Scottish Labour are also searching for a deputy leader with Cunninghame South nominating Cllr Matt Kerr while Cunninghame North backed Jackie Baillie MSP.