 | 'Peter Mandelson has a destabilising effect on the government and it would be better off without him.' Former personal advisor to the chancellor, Charlie Whelan, 15 th October 2000. |  |
| 'Peter Mandelson has a destabilising effect on the government and it would be better off without him.' Former personal advisor to the chancellor, Charlie Whelan, 15 th October 2000. | |
Mr Canavan has had preliminary talks with Labour Party general secretary Margaret McDonagh to explore the possibility but as yet has not submitted a formal application.
The first talks held two weeks ago - before the death of Scotland's First Minister Donald Dewar - were "inconclusive", but last night a Labour Party spokesman revealed the party's National Executive Committee would consider an application from Mr Canavan if and when they received one.
Party officials were initially "not of a mind to let him back in" before the expiry of a five-year period since the date of his explusion, but at the beginning of last month overtures were made to the party hierarchy in London to make an exception of Mr Canavan.
The first breakthrough in the impasse between Mr Canavan and senior Labour party figures was made only hours after he announced his intention to resign his Westminster seat in his column in The Herald at the beginning of October. He was expelled from the party last year after he failed to be deemed suitable to stand for the Scottish Parliament.
The Prime Minister at the time let it be known that the process which eliminated MPs - Glasgow Pollok MP Ian Davidson also failed to make the grade - was flawed, but the late Mr Dewar was unapologetic, stating that Mr Canavan "wasn't good enough".
Labour officials last night were loathe to pre-empt the NEC's decision, but already Ms McDonagh has acknowledged - at Labour's annual conference in Brighton - that there were problems with the procedures of selecting Scottish Parliamentary candidates.
Privately they have also acknowledged that Mr Canavan may have been a victim of a long running personality clash with the late First Minister who Mr Canavan pipped to win the West Dunbartonshire nomination in 1974.
More recently, Mr Canavan was aggrieved at the Labour Party's failure to talk to him about the future of his Westminster constituency. Despite several efforts "to initiate dialogue with the Labour Party at local and national level" Mr Canavan was ignored, feeling he had "no option but to let the people of Falkirk West give their verdict".
Scotland's newly elected First Minister, Henry McLeish, will be more inclined to back Mr Canavan's re-entry. Not only will it send a signal of inclusivity throughout the party, it will please Mr Canavan's many friends who believe he was treated unjustly.
-Nov 2nd
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