Labour party members to vote on deselection of Anne Moffat

Published on Friday 19 March 2010 14:30

A Labour MP will learn tonight whether she has the support of her local party in a crucial vote on her future.

Anne Moffat is facing deselection as the candidate in her East Lothian constituency just weeks before the general election is due.

The Labour Party's National Executive Committee agreed last week to allow local members a vote. The executive will then have to endorse the decision, which Ms Moffat can appeal.

Activists have already signalled they want to choose a new candidate to fight the seat, which is held at Holyrood by Labour's Scottish leader Iain Gray.

The local constituency party was suspended in 2008 over an earlier row about her re-selection to fight the election, widely thought to be held on May 6.

Ms Moffat, who was first elected to serve the area in 2001, gained the support of only two of six branches in the constituency but was endorsed as the candidate through votes from union affiliates.

She attracted criticism after claiming 40,000 in travel expenses between 2003 and 2004, more than any other MP.