This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23192888

The article has changed 13 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 8 Version 9
Labour to refer Falkirk selection row to police Labour to refer Falkirk selection row to police
(about 1 hour later)
The Labour Party is to refer a report into allegations of irregularities in the selection of an election candidate in Falkirk to the police. Labour is to refer a report into allegations of irregularities in the selection of an election candidate in Falkirk to the police.
Labour leader Ed Miliband has said an internal inquiry into events show people were being signed up to the party without their knowledge. Party leader Ed Miliband has said an internal inquiry into events show people were being signed up to Labour without their knowledge.
Two local party members have been suspended and Labour HQ has stepped in to run the selection race.Two local party members have been suspended and Labour HQ has stepped in to run the selection race.
Unite has said the report was a "stitch up" designed to smear the union. The Unite union has said the report was a "stitch-up" designed to smear it.
Its general secretary Len McCluskey denies claims his union - one of Labour's biggest financial backers - tried to rig the contest to select a general election candidate in Falkirk and said on Thursday he had "no trust" in the Labour Party following the row. Its general secretary Len McCluskey denies claims that his union, one of Labour's biggest financial backers, tried to rig the contest to select a general election candidate in Falkirk and said on Thursday he had "no trust" in the party after the row.
But Mr Miliband has dismissed his smear claims as "total nonsense" and said "instead of defending these practices Len McCluskey should be facing up to what happened in Falkirk".
"The Labour Party I lead will select its candidates in a fair and transparent way. We will act without fear or favour," said Mr Miliband.
"He should not be defending the machine politics involving bad practice and malpractice that went on there, he should be facing up to it."
'Good name''Good name'
He said the party's inquiry had shown "people were being signed up as members of the Labour Party without their knowledge, it says that bad practices were going on, it says people were being asked to sign up to the Labour Party on the condition that they supported particular candidates. We are not having this in the Labour Party." But Mr Miliband has dismissed his smear claims as "total nonsense" and said that, instead of defending these practices, Mr McCluskey should be "facing up to what happened in Falkirk.
The row has already seen the party step in to run the selection process in Falkirk centrally and suspend rules under which unions could sign up members to the Labour Party and pay the fees on their behalf. "The Labour Party I lead will select its candidates in a fair and transparent way. We will act without fear or favour," said Mr Miliband.
"He should not be defending the machine politics involving bad practice and malpractice that went on there. He should be facing up to it."
Mr Miliband said the party's inquiry had shown "people were being signed up as members of the Labour Party without their knowledge. It says that bad practices were going on. It says people were being asked to sign up to the Labour Party on the condition that they supported particular candidates.
"We are not having this in the Labour Party."
However, Mr Miliband's attempt to reassert his authority and show that he is not prepared to be pushed around by the unions was dismissed by the Conservatives, who said he should have acted sooner.
A Tory spokesman said: "This is followship, not leadership, from Ed Miliband. Why didn't he refer Falkirk to the police days ago?
"The answer is that Henry Smith, a Conservative MP, yesterday wrote a public letter to the Chief Constable of Scotland, calling for a fraud inquiry.
"So weak Ed Miliband has been forced to hand himself in.
"Will Ed Miliband now come clean, and admit that this scandal goes wider than just Falkirk?
"Unite have already admitted that they are targeting another 40 Labour selections, as Len McCluskey continues to take over the Labour Party."
The party has already stepped in to run the selection process in Falkirk centrally, and has suspended the rules under which unions could sign up members to Labour and pay the fees on their behalf.
On Thursday, Labour's general election co-ordinator Tom Watson, whose office manager Karie Murphy was Unite's preferred candidate in Falkirk, quit for the "future unity" of the party. Ms Murphy and Falkirk party chairman Stephen Deans were suspended by the party.On Thursday, Labour's general election co-ordinator Tom Watson, whose office manager Karie Murphy was Unite's preferred candidate in Falkirk, quit for the "future unity" of the party. Ms Murphy and Falkirk party chairman Stephen Deans were suspended by the party.
BBC political editor Nick Robinson said the row was actually about the future composition of the Labour Party.BBC political editor Nick Robinson said the row was actually about the future composition of the Labour Party.
Unite's stated strategy is to "shift the balance in the party away from middle class academics and professionals towards people who have actually represented workers and fought the boss". Unite's stated strategy is to "shift the balance in the party away from middle-class academics and professionals towards people who have actually represented workers and fought the boss".
Nick Robinson said Blairites within the party believed there was an organised, heavily-funded campaign to try to rig candidate selection in a particular direction. 'No trust'
Nick Robinson said Blairites within the party believed there was an organised, heavily funded campaign to try to rig candidate selection in a particular direction.
But in a letter to Labour's general secretary, Mr McCluskey said the union had "nothing whatsoever to do" with the alleged attempt to sign 100 or more members to the constituency party without their knowledge.But in a letter to Labour's general secretary, Mr McCluskey said the union had "nothing whatsoever to do" with the alleged attempt to sign 100 or more members to the constituency party without their knowledge.
"The report has been used to smear Unite and its members," he said. "It is noteworthy that members of the shadow cabinet have been in the lead in initiating this attack.""The report has been used to smear Unite and its members," he said. "It is noteworthy that members of the shadow cabinet have been in the lead in initiating this attack."
Mr McCluskey said Labour's internal investigation was "simply a stitch-up" designed to "produce some evidence, however threadbare, to justify pre-determined decisions". He demanded an independent inquiry into the events in Falkirk. Mr McCluskey said Labour's internal investigation was "simply a stitch-up" designed to "produce some evidence, however threadbare, to justify predetermined decisions". He demanded an independent inquiry into the events in Falkirk.
"I, however, am obliged to uphold the integrity of Unite, and I can no longer do so on the basis of going along with the activities of a Labour party administration in which I can place no trust." "I, however, am obliged to uphold the integrity of Unite, and I can no longer do so on the basis of going along with the activities of a Labour Party administration in which I can place no trust."
Mr Watson, who resigned on Thursday from his shadow cabinet role as election co-ordinator, told BBC Radio WM that he had been thinking about it for a few months but the "fuss" about the Falkirk selection had persuaded him it was time to move on. Mr Watson told BBC Radio WM that he had been thinking about it for a few months but the "fuss" about the Falkirk selection had persuaded him it was time to move on.
He repeated his belief that some within the party had never forgiven him for resigning as a junior defence minister in 2006 and calling for Tony Blair to step down as prime minister. But he added: "I think David Cameron's portrayal of the situation, that everyone is in hock to Len McCluskey, is just not true."
"I kept reading in papers that there were unattributed briefings from the shadow cabinet... There was clearly a problem with some of my colleagues around the shadow cabinet table and obviously I do accept that."
He said he did not know what had happened in Falkirk but "clearly something had gone wrong" that had to be sorted out.
However he added: "I think David Cameron's portrayal of the situation, that everyone is in hock to Len McCluskey, is just not true."
But David Cameron said it was now "quite clear the trade unions have far too much control over Labour".
"This has happened on Ed Miliband's watch. It is something of a scandal that is unfolding and he badly needs to grip it," he said.
Falkirk selection row: Who's who?Falkirk selection row: Who's who?