Transport and Scotland secretary Alistair Darling

Alistair Darling has been selected as the Labour parliamentary candidate for the new constituency of Edinburgh south west, it has been announced.

The transport secretary's current seat, Edinburgh Central, will disappear under boundary changes, which will reduce Scottish seats in Westminster from 72 to 59.

The decision by advocate general and Labour MP for Edinburgh Pentlands Dr Lynda Clark to stand down at the next election is thought to have given Darling a clear run at the new seat.

"I am delighted to receive the endorsement of this new constituency party as Labour candidate," he said.

"We do not know when the general election will come, but when it does Labour has a record we can fight on."

Edinburgh has particularly benefited from Labour's time in office, he claimed.

"When I first became an MP many of our young people faced the prospect of years of unemployment.  That has changed," he said.

"But we have to protect that economic stability and continue to invest in our future."