 | 'I do not even blame Pat Lally, though I suspect the power went a little to his head. I blame the Labour Party. We all, in Glasgow, do. We deserve better. And don't even think about the Tories or the Lib-Dems, for they are damn near as bad.' Jack McLean, in the Scotsman, 24 th September 1997. |  |
Pat McFadden, a key member of the Downing Street policy unit and one of Mr Blair's most trusted advisers, had put himself forward as nominations for the safe Labour seat closed on Wednesday.
Mr McFadden was among the favourites for the seat left vacant by the death of Gordon McMaster during the summer, and his withdrawal now makes an Edinburgh-based solicitor, Douglas Alexander, the frontrunner for the nomination.
Just hours before the national executive committee drew up its initial list, 32-year-old Mr McFadden agreed to stand aside after Mr Blair's intervention.
It is thought that as well as wanting to keep Mr McFadden, the Government did not want a battle to develop between a Downing Street aide and Mr Alexander, who is a speech-writer and adviser to the Chancellor, Gordon Brown.
Those remaining on the list to be the candidate in what will be a difficult by-election after the allegations of political infighting in Paisley will be interviewed today and whittled down to a shortlist from which the local party will choose.
Aides to Mr Blair said that Mr McFadden was "simply too good to lose".
Mr McFadden last night admitted that he was flattered by the Prime Minister's pleas to him to stay in Downing Street. "I would have liked to have entered the selection process but Tony Blair spoke to me today and asked me to stay."
The other candidates on the "long list" are Gillian Kulvicki, a local EIS activist; John McDowell, a local councillor; David O'Neill, a councillor in nearby Cunninghame; and Alan Wilson, the agent to Scottish Office minister Brian Wilson in Cunninghame North.
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