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Falkirk Labour members 'in dark' over vote rigging allegations Stephen Deans to step down as Falkirk Labour Party chair
(35 minutes later)
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. Stephen Deans, the chair of Falkirk Labour Party, intends to stand down from his post, the BBC has learned.
Labour's Falkirk constituency party issued a statement after its first meeting since its chair, Stephen Deans, resigned from the Grangemouth refinery. It is believed he will not stand for re-election when the post is contested at a party AGM on 24 November.
His employer, Ineos, had been looking into whether Mr Dean had carried out union activities during work time. Meanwhile, his Labour Party colleagues claimed they were being ignored by those at the centre of the party.
Local member Gray Allan said they were unable to tell fact from fiction. Local member Gray Allan called on the Labour Party to make public its investigation into alleged vote rigging in Falkirk.
The Falkirk constituency party issued a statement after its first meeting since its chair, Mr Deans, resigned from the Grangemouth refinery.
His employer, Ineos, had been looking into whether he had carried out union activities during work time.
The meeting came amid fresh claims that the Unite union tried to thwart a Labour investigation into the alleged vote rigging.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.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.The newspaper said the emails included details of an internal Labour report into the Falkirk debacle.
'Tory plot'
Speaking after the Falkirk Constituency labour Party Meeting (CLP), Mr Allan called on the party to make the report public.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.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.""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.He said members were disappointed that no one from the National Executive Council of the Scottish Labour Party had attended their meeting.
He added: "We need matters to be addressed here in front of our members by someone from the centre.
"We need to put these matters to rest and we need to rebuild what is a damaged organisation".
Earlier, Unite general secretary Len McCluskey denied the claims of union interference into a Labour investigation.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.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 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.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 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.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 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.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.