Moffat wants vote to end Labour selection row 'once and for all'

Published on Wednesday 10 March 2010 08:45

EAST Lothian Labour MP Anne Moffat today broke her silence over the row which threatens to end her political career.

As she waited to hear whether party bosses have given the go-ahead for an all-member meeting which could deselect her, she said she would welcome a vote as a way of settling the issue "once and for all".

Ms Moffat, an MP since 2001, has been at the centre of repeated attempts to remove her as Labour's candidate for the general election.

Members of Labour's 33-strong national executive committee (NEC) have been voting in a postal ballot on whether to allow the local party to hold a meeting to decide if the selection process should be reopened. The result is due tonight or tomorrow.

If the NEC votes in favour of a meeting, it could pave the way for Ms Moffat being replaced. If it votes against, it will effectively endorse her as the candidate.

Ms Moffat said: "If it goes to a vote of the members, that will put it to bed once and for all and I would welcome that.

"But if the NEC endorse me and I'm able to put this behind me, that would be great, too."

She said she did not want to discuss the details of the row which has split the local party for fear of inflaming the situation.

But she said: "It's not very helpful. We should be fighting to win the general election and not having our own internal fights. I'm confident if I'm the candidate we can win at the general election and keep the seat for Labour."

In January, the general committee of the local party voted 25-5 to request a reopening of the selection process, but it was only last week that the NEC discussed the matter.

Supporters and critics of Ms Moffat both said the outcome of the NEC vote was likely to be close. Union representatives are understood to be supporting the MP.

Today, one source claimed Labour Party treasurer Jack Dromey, who headed an investigation into the constituency in 2008 and came down in favour of Ms Moffat, now believed she should be deselected.

The source said: "After the investigation, the constituency party was told to behave itself and the MP was meant to fulfil her side of the bargain.

"But she has not done that. She has not been to a meeting of the constituency in over a year. She missed the AGM because she was on a foreign trip."

A supporter said Ms Moffat – who was hospitalised twice last year with bleeding on the brain – had not been at meetings because she was ill and had "been advised to avoid stressful situations".