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Len McCluskey denies thwarting Falkirk Labour probe Falkirk Labour members 'in dark' over vote rigging allegations
(about 4 hours later)
Unite general secretary Len McCluskey has denied fresh claims his union tried to thwart a Labour investigation into alleged vote rigging in Falkirk. Labour Party members at the centre of alleged vote rigging in Falkirk have claimed they are being ignored by those at the centre of the party.
He also claimed emails suggesting Unite engaged in forgery and coercion were leaked to the Sunday Times as part of a Tory plot to discredit Ed Miliband. Labour's Falkirk constituency party issued a statement after its first meeting since its chair, Stephen Deans, resigned from the Grangemouth refinery.
The newspaper says the emails include details of an internal Labour report into the Falkirk debacle. His employer, Ineos, had been looking into whether Mr Dean had carried out union activities during work time.
Local member Gray Allan said they were unable to tell fact from fiction.
The meeting came amid fresh claims that the Unite union tried to thwart a Labour investigation into the alleged vote rigging.
Emails suggesting Unite engaged in forgery and coercion were leaked to the Sunday Times.
The newspaper said the emails included details of an internal Labour report into the Falkirk debacle.
Speaking after the Falkirk Constituency labour Party Meeting (CLP), Mr Allan called on the party to make the report public.
He said: "Of all the parties that have been involved in this matter since the beginning, the one voice that has not been heard is the voice of the rank and file Labour party members in this constituency.
"We've heard umpteen reports, allegations and suppositions as to what happened or did not happen."
He said members were disappointed that no one from the National Executive Council of the Scottish Labour Party had attended their meeting.
Earlier, Unite general secretary Len McCluskey denied the claims of union interference into a Labour investigation.
He also claimed emails were leaked to the Sunday Times as part of a Tory plot to discredit Ed Miliband.
Mr McCluskey told the BBC's Sunday Politics the paper had "nothing new".Mr McCluskey told the BBC's Sunday Politics the paper had "nothing new".
"We didn't thwart anything. The Labour Party report was deeply flawed," he told presenter Andrew Neil."We didn't thwart anything. The Labour Party report was deeply flawed," he told presenter Andrew Neil.
'Frustrate''Frustrate'
Unite was accused of coercing its members to join the Falkirk Labour Party or signing them up without their knowledge, to ensure the union's favoured candidate, Karie Murphy, was selected as a general election candidate.Unite was accused of coercing its members to join the Falkirk Labour Party or signing them up without their knowledge, to ensure the union's favoured candidate, Karie Murphy, was selected as a general election candidate.
An internal Labour Party investigation cleared Unite and its members of any wrongdoing after key witnesses withdrew their allegations.An internal Labour Party investigation cleared Unite and its members of any wrongdoing after key witnesses withdrew their allegations.
The Sunday Times said last week it had seen a cache of emails raising questions about whether Unite influenced the outcome of the inquiry.The Sunday Times said last week it had seen a cache of emails raising questions about whether Unite influenced the outcome of the inquiry.
In fresh revelations published on Sunday, the newspaper says it has seen 1,000 emails to and from Stephen Deans, chairman of the Falkirk Labour Party, which it says reveal the full extent of the plot to influence the selection process. In fresh revelations published on Sunday, the newspaper said it has seen 1,000 emails to and from Stephen Deans, chairman of the Falkirk Labour Party, which it said revealed the full extent of the plot to influence the selection process.
It also includes extracts of the internal Labour report - which has never been published by the party - in which Labour officials say there were "deliberate attempts to frustrate" interviews with some of the key witnesses. It also included extracts of the internal Labour report - which has never been published by the party - in which Labour officials said there were "deliberate attempts to frustrate" interviews with some of the key witnesses.
The emails suggest that a letter retracting key evidence in the Labour investigation was not written by the witnesses but by union officials and approved by Mr Deans, according to the Sunday Times. The emails suggested that a letter retracting key evidence in the Labour investigation was not written by the witnesses but by union officials and approved by Mr Deans, according to the Sunday Times.
'Trap''Trap'
In an interview with The Sunday Politics show, Mr McCluskey conceded that Mr Deans had seen some of the retractions before they were made public, but said this was understandable as they had been written by members of Mr Deans' family.In an interview with The Sunday Politics show, Mr McCluskey conceded that Mr Deans had seen some of the retractions before they were made public, but said this was understandable as they had been written by members of Mr Deans' family.
"This is an ordinary decent family, who were suddenly faced with the full weight of the establishment - the police, a forensic solicitor. Of course they spoke to Stevie Deans.""This is an ordinary decent family, who were suddenly faced with the full weight of the establishment - the police, a forensic solicitor. Of course they spoke to Stevie Deans."
But he claimed the leaks to the Sunday Times were part of a wider plot to undermine Ed Miliband.But he claimed the leaks to the Sunday Times were part of a wider plot to undermine Ed Miliband.
"This is a trap being set by Tory Central Office," he told presenter Andrew Neil."This is a trap being set by Tory Central Office," he told presenter Andrew Neil.
"And Ed Miliband should not fall into those traps.""And Ed Miliband should not fall into those traps."
Asked if he denied that Unite officials had been involved in getting key witness evidence retracted from the inquiry, Mr McCluskey said: "I deny it completely."Asked if he denied that Unite officials had been involved in getting key witness evidence retracted from the inquiry, Mr McCluskey said: "I deny it completely."
Commenting on the latest allegations, a Labour Party spokesman said: "We've acted swiftly and thoroughly to uphold the integrity of the Labour Party throughout this matter and will continue to do so."Commenting on the latest allegations, a Labour Party spokesman said: "We've acted swiftly and thoroughly to uphold the integrity of the Labour Party throughout this matter and will continue to do so."
Police in Scotland, who earlier this year dropped an investigation into the Falkirk allegations, are studying the leaked emails.Police in Scotland, who earlier this year dropped an investigation into the Falkirk allegations, are studying the leaked emails.