 | 'We cannot base our military strategy on the assumption that Saddam is weak and at the same time justify pre-emptive action on the claim that he is a threat.' Rt Hon Robin Cook, 17 th March 2003. |  |
| 'We cannot base our military strategy on the assumption that Saddam is weak and at the same time justify pre-emptive action on the claim that he is a threat.' Rt Hon Robin Cook, 17 th March 2003. | |
The race is on to succeed Robin Cook as MP for Livingston following the former foreign secretary's death.
Nominations have now closed to be the Labour candidate, even though no date has yet been set for the by-election.
The list of potential candidates has not been released, but officials said 40 people from across the UK applied.
Mr Cook's former election agent Jim Devine has confirmed he is standing. He told the BBC that Mr Cook's widow Gaynor and his two sons backed his bid.
Mr Devine, who is an official with the public services union Unison, is also understood to have the backing of Chancellor Gordon Brown.
Other confirmed candidates include West Lothian Council deputy leader Willie Dunn and John Duncan, a former assistant to Mr Cook.
Ross Martin who heads the centre-left think tank, the Centre for Scottish Public Policy, has decided not to throw his hat into the ring.
Candidate interviews
Members of Labour's National Executive Committee and the party's Scottish Executive Committee will draw up a shortlist of about a third of those who applied.
This will be whittled down following a series of interviews with candidates on Tuesday.
A final shortlist containing a handful of approved candidates will then be presented to members of the local Labour party in Livingston.
They will vote on Thursday evening to select their candidate.
Party members
The Scottish National Party's national executive has approved a shortlist of two and the successful candidate will be chosen in a ballot of members in the constituency.
The result will be announced on Friday.
The Liberal Democrats are interviewing three applicants ahead of a vote by local party members on Thursday.
The Conservative Party has yet to finalise its selection process.
A date for the by-election has still to be set by the speaker of the House of Commons. Mr Cook held the seat with a majority of more than 13,000 at the May general election.
Mr Cook, who quit the Cabinet in protest at the decision to go to war with Iraq, died after falling ill on a walking holiday in the Scottish hills on 6 August.
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