Falkirk West By-election 2000

'The words 'New Labour' have become an embarrassment to most Labour Party supporters.'
Mark Seddon, member of Labour's National Executive Committee, 17 th September 2000.

Rebel Canavan in secret talks on by-election threat

By Iain Martin in the Scotsman, 2 nd November 2000

HENRY McLeish, the First Minister, has met rebel independent MSP Dennis Canavan in a bid to head off a damaging Westminster by-election.

Mr Canavan announced several weeks ago that he planned to resign his Westminster Falkirk West seat, causing the potentially embarrassing by-election.

However, it has now emerged he is negotiating with the leadership for a return to the party on the conditon he drops his resignation threat.

A spokesman for Mr McLeish confirmed yesterday there had been contact between the pair and a meeting is understood to have taken place in recent days.

Labour sources were also making it clear Mr McLeish favoured Mr CanavanÕs re-admission to the partyÕs ranks.

Mr Canavan went into hiding yesterday as news of the talks emerged. Even if he does still resign, he will remain an independent MSP for the area.

However, Labour would be forced to fight a Westminster contest which it risked losing.

Mr Canavan was banned from standing as a Labour candidate for last yearÕs Holyrood elections, despite having been an MP for the party since the 1970s. He stood as an independent, inflicted a humiliating defeat on Labour and was expelled from the party.

Labour MSPs at Holyrood were initially unhappy at the prospect of Mr Canavan moving back onto the Labour benches in the Scottish parliament.

However, a number said yesterday that it would be acceptable if it succeeded in sparing the party a bruising Westminster contest in Falkirk West.

There was speculation yesterday that the move by Mr McLeish was a delaying tactic. The partyÕs rule book stipulates that those who stand against an official Labour candidate must serve a five-year expulsion. Mr Canavan has not been promised immediate re-admission but an attempt to bend the rules and cut his exile by two to three years is being considered.

One Labour source said even if Mr Canavan did not resign his Westminster seat, he had no guarantees of admission.

He said: "ItÕs for Dennis to decide. HeÕs taking a gamble on believing Henry McLeish can see to it that heÕs allowed back in a year or so down the line."

Several of Mr CanavanÕs Labour MP friends are keen to see him re-admitted. Gordon Brown is understood to be in favour and first made an approach in the aftermath of the Holyrood elections.

Ian Davidson, Labour MP for Glasgow Pollok, who was also barred from standing for the party for Holyrood, said: " Dennis was treated shamefully.

"A wrong was done to him and he deserves to be brought back into the fold."

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