 | 'We've had Monklands, then came Glasgow, then Govan and now Paisley - it's little wonder that people outwith the Central Belt are beginning to wonder what sort of parliament we would get.' Brian Montieth, the spokesman for the anti-home rule Think Twice campaign. |  |
Senior figures in the Scottish party have claimed a damaging report on the conduct of Labour MP Tommy Graham was killed off by the whips in 1995. They also insisted that the continuing inquiry into claims that Mr McMaster was the victim of a vicious whispering campaign must discipline Mr Graham immediately. The MP for West Renfrewshire was widely criticised in the party for telling a newspaper that the dead MP had a serious drink problem and accusing Irene Adams, the MP for Paisley North and a close friend of Mr McMaster, of "milking" his death.
The rift will dismay the Prime Minister Tony Blair, particularly as his deputy, John Prescott, and the minister without portfolio, Peter Mandelson, are due to visit Scotland this week to promote the pro-devolution referendum campaign.
One source in Scotland warned that the party's campaign for a Yes, Yes vote in the referendum could be tarnished by the affair unless Labour is seen to act decisively.
The demand for action against Mr Graham from the Scottish party contradicted comments by senior party sources in London, who said that reports claiming Mr Graham was about to be disciplined were wrong.
Senior figures in the Scottish party say they will demand a meeting with their counterparts south of the Border if action is not forthcoming.
The new allegations follow reports yesterday that letters of endorsement for Mr Graham, which were submitted to the inquiry into corruption and vote-rigging in Paisley two years ago by two senior whips - Lord Dixon and Derek Foster - may have been forgeries. Mr Graham and Lord Dixon are named in Mr McMaster's suicide note, but both have denied smearing their former parliamentary colleague.
However, yesterday's developments reveal the scale of the festering resentment within the party over the situation in Renfrewshire.
The Scottish Labour hierarchy insists that it responded quickly and decisively when it received the conclusions of the inquiry into corruption in Paisley, which was set up two years ago. It is angry that the sections of the report referring to the conduct of MPs - which is the responsibility of the party in London - were not acted on.
The inquiry looked into claims of local party involvement in a security firm, FCB, which was said to have links with drugs. There were also allegations of membership irregularities and internecine vendettas being waged by MPs and councillors. The investigation led to changes in the party in Renfrewshire, with branches and local parties suspended and restructured and individual members expelled.
In contrast, the Scottish party complains that nothing was done in London to discipline Mr Graham. It is now investigating reports that the letters the inquiry team received from Mr Foster and Lord Dixon, which praised Mr Graham, may have been forged by another MP. Sources insist that officials in London had vouched for the authenticity of the letters when they were first received.
The Scottish party also sought to play down revelations that the Scottish party's general secretary, Jack McConnell, was officially registered as Mr Graham's researcher at about the time the inquiry was held two years ago.
Sources say that, in 1993, Mr McConnell approached Mr McMaster - who was the party's Scottish whip at the time - to ask if any MPs had a spare pass he could use - a regular procedure for Westminster. He was given one belonging to Mr Graham. They insist that he held on to it for about a year but was no longer using it when the revelations about corruption in Paisley emerged in 1995.
The desire for a decisive conclusion to the inquiry has been heightened by concerns that the scandal in Renfrewshire may cast a long shadow over the party's referendum campaign.
Brian Montieth, the spokesman for the anti-home rule Think Twice campaign, said: "We've had Monklands, then came Glasgow, then Govan and now Paisley - it's little wonder that people outwith the Central Belt are beginning to wonder what sort of parliament we would get."
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