Bitter battle in prospect for Henry's seat

Published on Saturday 7 September 2002 01:00

THE internal battle over who will succeed Henry McLeish as an MSP has already begun in the Labour Party, bringing the prospect of a bitter contest for the seat.

Less than 24 hours after the former First Minister announced that he was standing down as a candidate in next year’s Holyrood election, speculation was well under way over who his successor might be.

The prospect of turmoil in the party over the issue was seized on by Labour’s rivals.

Tricia Marwick, a Fife list MSP who stood against Mr McLeish in 1999, said: "Labour activists in Central Fife, who have been working behind the scenes to secure the nomination will be forced out into the open, provoking a bloodbath as they tear each other apart."

The Scottish Labour executive will make a decision on the procedures for selecting a replacement candidate at its meeting on 14 September.

Christine May, the leader of Fife Council and John MacDougall, the MP for Central Fife, are already being tipped as leading contenders for the seat which Mr McLeish secured with a majority of 8,675 in 1999.

However, other names are also emerging. They include Kay Morrison, a Fife councillor and Claire Brennan, a Labour researcher at the Scottish Parliament.

Ms Morrison is the council’s strategic spokesperson for school children and is also chairperson of Central Fife Labour Party. Ms Brennan was a Labour candidate for North East Fife at the 2001 general election.

Another name being suggested is Rachel McEwen, a special adviser to Jack McConnell, the First Minister.

While Mr MacDougall’s name has emerged in recent weeks as a front runner his prospects were being played down yesterday.

He would need to resign as the Labour MP for Central Fife, resulting in a Commons by-election.

DAVID SCOTT