 | 'The bruising experience of recent days has confirmed my personal resolve to enforce the highest standards of integrity and conduct throughout the Scottish Labour party. There will be no place in our party for those who fail that test.' Secretary of State for Scotland, Donald Dewar. |  |
The Renfrewshire West MP, Tommy Graham, was suspended along with two other prominent party members after an inquiry conducted by the Government chief whip, Nick Brown, acting on the orders of Tony Blair.
Mr Brown cleared Mr Graham of playing any part in the death of Gordon McMaster, the MP for Paisley South, who was said to have named him in his suicide note.
But Mr Graham was suspended from the parliamentary party and faces a full inquiry into allegations about his links with a former Labour councillor in Renfrewshire, Paul Mack.
However, during a day of confusion and embarrassment which overshadowed the launch of the historic cross-party Yes,Yes campaign in which the Scottish Secretary, Donald Dewar, appeared for the first time with the SNP leader, Alex Salmond, Labour also unveiled a raft of proposals to clean up the party in Renfrewshire.
These included the setting up of a "task force" to overhaul the party in Renfrewshire, the suspension of two Labour councillors pending a police investigation into a Paisley security firm and a full membership check in Mr McMaster's constituency before the selection of a candidate to replace him.
Last night, Mr Dewar, who had refused to make any detailed comment earlier in the day, welcomed what he described as the "tough and decisive action" taken by the party. In a statement issued last night, he said: "The bruising experience of recent days has confirmed my personal resolve to enforce the highest standards of integrity and conduct throughout the Scottish Labour party. There will be no place in our party for those who fail that test."
He added: "The range and seriousness of the allegations made further investigation essential. It is right that individuals against whom these allegations have been made should be suspended pending the outcome."
However, there were immediate indications last night that Labour will face further discomfort over the turmoil in Renfrewshire, as Mr Graham insisted he was innocent of all charges and said he looked forward to clearing his name.
It was also not clear whether other action which has been taken, including the suspension of councillors Harry Revie and Olga Clayton, pending the outcome of a police investigation into allegations of corruption at the FCB security company in Paisley, would be enough to stem the tide of allegations against Labour.
Following his death, allegations were made that Mr McMaster and two other Labour MPs - Irene Adams and Norman Godman - had been victims of a vicious whispering campaign involving Mr Graham and other party members. Mr Graham has consistently denied the claims.
Mr Brown said last night that he had uncovered evidence that Mr Graham had made "verbal attacks" on colleagues as well as working with the Renfrewshire councillor, Mr Mack, whom Mr Brown described as "a known opponent of the Labour Party". He added that it was alleged Mr Graham had failed to "live up to the high standards" expected of Labour MPs.
In a statement, Mr Brown said: "The whole affair has had the effect of bringing the party into disrepute and destabilising local politics in Renfrew."
The complaints against Mr Graham will now be fully investigated by the party's ruling national executive committee. If evidence of serious misconduct is uncovered, Mr Graham could be disciplined or expelled from the party.
However, the Chief Whip argued that Mr Graham's actions were unrelated to Mr McMaster's suicide. Mr Brown said he was satisfied the suicide was caused by the MP's "severe depressive illness."
Mr Brown held a two-hour meeting with Mr Graham in Paisley yesterday to inform him of the party's decision. Afterwards, Mr Graham said he was pleased he had been completely exonerated of allegations that he had been responsible for Mr McMaster's "tragic demise."
Mr Graham's solicitor, Ian Robertson, said last night: "[Tommy] feels he has nothing to fear from the inquiry and looks forward to putting forward his case ... after weeks of speculation and scurrilous reports which have been put forward against him."
Mr Robertson added that Mr Brown had expressed concerns that selective passages of Mr McMaster's suicide note - which criticised Mr Graham and Labour's former deputy chief whip, Lord Dixon - had been leaked to the press.
Mr Graham's suspension means he loses the privileges of the parliamentary party, such as support from the party's staff or membership of the party's back-bench committees. It is not the same as the withdrawal of the party whip.
In a separate statement, Labour's national general secretary, Tom Sawyer, said a task force will now be set up to overhaul the party in Renfrewshire. Mr Graham's constituency party - West Renfrewshire - will be put under Mr Sawyer's direct supervision and Labour will decide next month whether it should be suspended.
There is also to be an inquiry to ascertain whether a member of the Paisley North party who has already been suspended, Jim Taylor, had been involved in attempts to ensure Mr Mack was elected a councillor in Renfrewshire. Mr Taylor and another member of the Paisley North party, Richard Manser, will remain suspended.
Mr Sawyer said: "Labour is an open and democratic party, we will not tolerate malpractice or any activities which do not uphold our high standards. That is why I have taken tough action today and can assure everyone that Labour's NEC will not hesitate in taking further measures if required."
Meanwhile, the Scottish Tory chairman, Raymond Robertson, demanded an independent public inquiry into the series of scandals which have rocked the Labour Party across the West of Scotland.
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