Labour's Candidates

'Some familiar names in Labour politics and a smattering of left-wingers made it past Rosemary McKenna's selection panel (and so did her daughter). But the list of casualties is so extensive that many Labour supporters are beginning to wonder if elements in their party are now in full self-destruct mode. The failure of many women with substantial records of achievement to make the grade, such as Rosina McCrae, Susan Deacon and Mary Picken is surprising given the vigorous attempts being made to encourage more women to stand. And if Dennis Canavan, MP, and Ian Davidson, MP, are good enough for Westminster, why are they not good enough for Edinburgh?' Mark Seddon in the Scotsman, 19 th June 1998.

Rosemary's Babies

Isobel Lindsay:
'I feel I am more qualified than many candidates who were selected, including Rosemary's daughter.'

The Holyrood backlash

By Robbie Dinwoodie and Murray Ritchie in the Herald

Others who failed to make the panel of eligible candidates condemned theprocedure as a mockery and a sinister charade designed to centralise power.Charges of nepotism were also made after the daughter of selection panelconvener Rosemary McKenna was successful, as was the son of Springburn MPMichael Martin.

MPs fear that in future the process will be used to de-select them and driveall free-thinkers out of Labour ranks. But Scottish Secretary Donald Dewarinsisted the process was fair and had brought fresh faces into politics.

These fresh faces included a bishop, some Kirk ministers, an airline pilot, aserving Army officer and a football club chairman.

However, not veteran Falkirk West MP Dennis Canavan, who was locked in ameeting with his constituency officials last night. Having said he would beguided by them on the next course of action, he gave warning: "I will certainlynot be taking this lying down."

As first revealed in The Herald a month ago, Pollok MP Ian Davidson wasalso deemed to have failed the new selection process for Holyrood, and he toowill be meeting his local party to decide on whether to appeal against thejudgment.

The scope for this would appear to be limited to narrow technical or proceduralgrounds, but Mr Davidson said a drastic final cull of the list from thepromised number of more than 200 down to the final 166 who finally made itmight represent an area for challenge.

Mr Davidson added: "One peculiar feeling I have is a sense of liberation,because I now feel free to speak and act any way I wish. Despite never havingvoted against the Labour whip in six years, I have not made the panel,therefore I need feel no inhibitions now."

Two others withdrew after that Herald report, saying they had failedtheir interviews, the Scottish Secretary's special adviser Murray Elder, andFalkirk East MP Michael Connarty. Attempts to claim that the latter would havepassed had he not withdrawn were greeted with scepticism.

Two council leaders at the heart of recent controversies over heavy deficits,Harry McGuigan of North Lanarkshire and David Sneller of East Ayrshire, werestruck off belatedly in connection with this, and ironically they may stand thebest chance of appeal.

Donald Dewar posed happily with many of the successful applicants, who include69 women, and the party hierarchy insisted the selection process had beenmodern, efficient and not based on any ideological cull. That, too, was widelyscorned and the coming selection battles at constituency level promise to bebloody.

Dundee West MP John McAllion passed through this stage, as did Leith MP MalcolmChisholm, both having showed a rebellious streak. They join John Home Robertsonand Ministers Donald Dewar, Henry McLeish, Sam Galbraith and Lord Sewel asWestminster politicians on the panel of eligible candidates.

Among the high-profile casualties of the process were the former assistantgeneral secretary of the party in Scotland, Tommy Sheppard; former SNP luminaryIsobel Lindsay who later joined Labour because of her founding role in theScottish Constitutional Convention; Esther Roberton, who played a key role inthe Scotland Forward campaign during the referendum; and Mary Picken, whoformerly chaired the party in Glasgow and was seconded from the SNP to ScotlandForward last year.

Mr Sheppard said: "I feel like I have been expelled after 20-odd years serviceto the party and no-one has given me the reason why. I find it bizarre that theLabour Party, given its current electoral standing, is so intolerant at a timewhen it ought to be inclusive.

"There are now an awful lot of people who used to put their faith in the LabourParty, used to be active, and are now fed up to the back teeth with the theoryand practice of New Labour in Scotland. None of us is going away. This is boundto come back to haunt them."

Ms Roberton was not available for comment, but Ms Lindsay was clearly angry,saying Labour had sought people with experience, competence, integrity andcommitment. "I believe I have all of these and I challenge Rosemary and othermembers of the selection committee to produce any kind of evidence to thecontrary.

"Apart from my record, I had a competent interview and do not believe thatanyone could honestly say otherwise. I feel I am more qualified than manycandidates who were selected, including Rosemary's daughter."

Rosemary McKenna's Chosen 166 who will go before constituencies

Scottish Labour's panel of Holyrood candidates is

1. Joan Aitken (Ross, Skye and Inverness West)
   
2. Wendy Alexander, a special adviserto Donald Dewar and sister of Douglas Alexander, who won Paisley South in last November's by-election (Glasgow Kelvin)
   
3. Councillor Donald Anderson (EdinburghSouth)
   
4. former Scottish party chair Jackie Baillie (Strathkelvin and Bearsden)
   
5. Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West)
   
6. Claudia Beamish, daughter of the late Lord Chelwood, former Tory MP Sir Tufton Beamish (Clydesdale)
   

7. Councillor David Begg, professor at Robert Gordon University and adviser to the deputy prime minister, John Prescott, on transport policy (Edinburgh South)
   
8. Sarah Boyack, daughter of late Home Rule campaigner Jim Boyack (EdinburghSouth)
   
9. Rhona Brankin, former party chair and leading figure in the Network group (Edinburgh Central)
   
10. Jackie Burns (Clydesdale)
    
11. Willie Campbell (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber)
    
12. Councillor Gerry Carroll, a lawyer (Glasgow Cathcart)
    

13. Gillian Carlin-Kulwicki (Glasgow Anniesland)
    
14. Councillor Liz Cameron (GlasgowAnniesland)
    
15. Councillor Brian Cavanagh (Edinburgh West)
    
16. Malcolm Chisholm, MP for North Edinburgh and Leith, was in the Scottish Officer team until he made history by becoming the first Minister in Tony Blair's Government to resign. Hequit in protest at Labour's treatment of single parents (Edinburgh North and Leith)
    
17. Kate Clark (Edinburgh South)
    
18. Alec Connelly (North East Fife)
    
19. Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth)
    

20. Ron Culley (Eastwood)
    
21. Margaret Curran was Mohammad Sarwar's election agent and recently went to court where she successfully sought to have proceedings against her in relation to his election expenses dropped (Glasgow Govan)
    
22. Carolyn Davidson (Stirling)
    
23. Trevor Davies, independent television producer (Edinburgh North and Leith)
    
24. Donald Dewar, Secretary of State for Scotland (Glasgow Anniesland)
    
25. Anwar Din, a community care senior in Glasgow's social work department (Glasgow Cathcart)
    

26. Eileen Dinning, a Unison official (Glasgow Govan)
    
27. Marion Dingwall (Perth)
    
28. Barry Divers (Clydebank and Milngavie)
    
29. Mike Donnelly, an academic who helped Labour in the run-up to the General Election (Glasgow Maryhill)
    
30. Councillor Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East)
    
31. Mike Elrick, former aide to the late John Smith (Aberdeen South)
    

32. Ali Farquharson (Moray)
    
33. Patricia Ferguson, Labour headquarters official (Glasgow Maryhill)
    
34. Brian Fitzpatrick (Glasgow Govan)
    
35. Miles Fisher, a consultant physician at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley (Clydebank andMilngavie)
    
36. Carol Fox (Edinburgh North and Leith)
    
37. Mary Galbraith, a management consultant (Glasgow Kelvin)
    
38. Sam Galbraith, Scottish Health Minister, (Glasgow Anniesland)
    

39. Keith Geddes, leader of Edinburgh City Council and Cosla president (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh)
    
40. Sheila Gillies (Glasgow Anniesland)
    
41. Councillor Sheila Gilmore (Edinburgh South)
    
42. Marilyn Glen, Labour women's committee (DundeeWest)
    
43. Councillor Patricia Godman, wife of Greenock and Inverclyde MP Norman Godman (Glasgow Kelvin)
    
44. Clive Goodman (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber)
    

45. Councillor Charlie Gordon (Glasgow Anniesland)
    
46. Rhoda Grant (Inverness East,Nairn and Lochaber)
    
47. Iain Gray, Scottish campaigns organiser of Oxfam (Edinburgh Pentlands)
    
48. Gordon Guthrie (Glasgow Govan)
    
49. Megan Harris, a London-based American (West Ham)
    
50. James Hendry (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber)
    
51. Councillor Hugh Henry (West Renfrewshire)
    

52. Councillor Lesley Hinds (Edinburgh West)
    
53. Richard Holloway, Bishop of Edinburgh and primus of the Scottish Episcopalian Church (Edinburgh Central)
    
54. John Home Robertson, MP for East Lothian (Roxburgh and Berwickshire)
    
55. Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen)
    
56. Martin Hutchison (Stirling)
    
57. Len Ironside (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine)
    

58. Gordon Jackson, QC, one of Scotland's best known criminal lawyers, (Edinburgh Pentlands)
    
59. Sylvia Jackson (Ochil)
    
60. Cathie Jamieson, Labour executive (Cunninghame South)
    
61. Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudon)
    
62. Eric Joyce, Army major, who come up through the ranks from private and has criticised classdivisions in Forces (Salisbury) -
    
63. James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen)
    
64. Michael Kelly, former Lord Provost of Glasgow who runs a PR consultancy (GlasgowGovan)
    

65. Pat Kelly, Civil Service Union official (Edinburgh North and Leith)
    
66. Councillor John Kemp, education convener (Dundee West)
    
67. Andy Kerr (East Kilbride)
    
68. Johann Lamont, Labour women's committee (Glasgow Govan)
    
69. Jim Lee, Co-op Party (Hamilton South)
    
70. Jane Lindsay, Scottish Labour executive (Dumbarton)
    
71. Marilyn Livingstone, head of the business school at Fife College (Kirkcaldy)
    
72. George Lonie (Western Isles)
    
73. Councillor Iain Luke, ex-council leader (Dundee West).

74. Margaret Lynch of War on Want (East Dulwich and Norwood) - Shome mishtake surely?
    
75. John McAllion, MP for Dundee West, who resigned from Shadow Scottish team over referendum U-turn(Dundee West)
    
76. Councillor Frank McAveety, Glasgow Council leader (Glasgow Springburn)
    
77. Councillor Tom McCabe, South Lanarkshire leader (Hamilton South)
    
78. Councillor Daniel McCafferty (Clydebank and Milngavie)
    
79. Ian McCalman, EIS president (Glasgow Cathcart)
    
80. Jack McConnell, Labour's Scottish general secretary until he recently joined a consultancy (Stirling).

81. Henry McCubbin, a Euro-MP until the SNP defeated him in North East Scotland (Dundee East)
    
82. Katie McCulloch, Labour Party organiser and at 24 is the youngest on the list, joining her mother and father there (Edinburgh Pentlands)
    
83. Councillor Margaret McCulloch (Edinburgh Pentlands)
    
84. William McCulloch (Edinburgh Pentlands)
    
85. the Rev Iain MacDonald, Kirk minister on Westray and Papa Westray (Orkney and Shetland)
    
86. Lewis Macdonald, ex-candidate and party researcher (Aberdeen Central)
    

87. Rachel McEwen, Labour Party staff (Stirling)
    
88. Councillor Jean McFadden, former council leader (Glasgow Maryhill)
    
89. Ian McFatridge, former candidate (NorthTayside)
    
90. George McGregor, Unison official (Edinburgh Central)
    
91. Kenneth McIntosh (Hammersmith and Fulham)
    
92. Councillor Angus McKay (Edinburgh South)
    
93. Ann McKechin (Glasgow Kelvin)
    
94. Jean McKeown (Hamilton North and Bellshill)
    
95. John MacKinnon (Western Isles)
    
96. Bob McLean, leading figure in Scottish Labour Action, the party's Nationalist wing (Midlothian).
    
97. Councillor Kate McLean, council leader and vice-president of Cosla (DundeeEast)
    
98. Henry McLeish, Scottish Office Minister of State (Central Fife)
    
99. AngusMacleod, Labour Party press officer (Glasgow Anniesland)
    
100. Malcolm Macleod,medical doctor and former rector of Edinburgh University (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh)
     
101. Suzanne McLeod, daughter of Rosemary McKenna, the MP chairing the selection panel (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth)
     
102. Michael McMahon (Hamilton North andBellshill)
     
103. Callum Ian MacMillan (Western Isles)
     
104. Maureen McMillan (Ross, Skye and Inverness West)
     

105. Duncan McNeil, GMB official (Greenock and Inverclyde)
     
106. Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin)
     
107. Des McNulty, lecturer and Glasgow councillor (Glasgow Maryhill)
     
108. the Rev Stuart MacQuarrie (Glasgow Rutherglen)
     
109. Lucy McTernan (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh)
     
110. Paul Martin (Glasgow Springburn), son of MP Michael Martin
     
111. Councillor Ross Martin (Livingston)
     
112. Doug Maughan, a British Airways pilot (Stirling)
     
113. Councillor Christine May, council leader (Kirkcaldy)
     
114. Councillor Margaret Millar, ex-Provost (Dunfermline West)
     
115. Charles Milne (North East Fife)
     
116. Ramsay Milne (Aberdeen North)
     
117. Catherine Moran (Motherwell and Wishaw)
     

118. Alasdair Morrison (Western Isles)
     
119. Councillor Bristow Muldoon (Livingston)
     
120. Councillor Mary Mulligan (Edinburgh Pentlands)
     
121. John Mulvey, former leader of Lothian Regional Council, now director of Scottish Local Government Forum on Poverty (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh)
     
122. Donnie Munro, economic development worker on Skye and former Runrig singer (Ross, Skye and Inverness West)
     
123. Ken Munro, soon-to-retire representative in Edinburgh of the European Commission(Edinburgh South)
     
124. Councillor Elaine Murray, leader of South Ayrshire (Ayr)
     

125. Tom Nolan (Coatbridge and Chryston)
     
126. Colin O'Brien (Stirling)
     
127. Irene Oldfather,researcher for Alex Smith MEP (Cunningham South)
     
128. the Rev Alastair Osborne,husband of Ayr MP Sandra Osborne (Ayr)
     
129. Margaret Paterson (Ochil)
     
130. Councillor Peter Peacock, Highland Council leader and former independent (Inverness East,Nairn and Lochaber)
     
131. Cathie Peattie, Labour women's committee (Falkirk East)
     
132. Councillor George Purcell (Midlothian)
     
133. Hugh Raven (Inverness East Nairn andLochaber)
     
134. Jillian Richards (North Tayside)
     
135. Natalie Robertson (Edinburgh North and Leith)
     

136. Councillor Yvonne Robertson (Greenock and Inverclyde)
     
137. Merv Rolfe, Lord Provost of Dundee (Dundee East)
     
138. Laurie Russell (Clydebank and Milngavie)
     
139. Jane Saren,managing director of a new Scottish public affairs consultancy (Edinburgh Central)
     
140. John Sewel, Scottish spokesman in Lords (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine)
     
141. Lorna Shiels (Edinburgh Central)
     
142. Dr Richard Simpson (Ochil)
     
143. Councillor Ruth Simpson (Glasgow Kelvin)
     
144. Ian Smart, a solicitor prominent in Scottish Labour Action (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth)
     
145. Elaine Smith (Inverness East,Nairn and Lochaber)
     
146. Mary Smith (Hamilton South)
     
147. Margaret Smyth (CunninghameNorth)
     
148. Mark Steven (Kirkcaldy).

149. Jim Stevens, Fraser of Allander economist and Scottish executive member (Cunninghame North)
     
150. Lesley Sutherland (Glasgow Kelvin)
     
151. Elaine Thomson(Aberdeen South)
     
152. Annie Thorne (Glasgow Maryhill)
     
153. Mhairi Thornton (Edinburgh Pentlands)
     
154. Mike Tuckwell (Aberdeen North)
     
155. Karen Turnbull, Scottish executive,on Helen Liddell's constituency staff (Airdrie and Shotts)
     

156. Alan Tweedie (Edinburgh South)
     
157. Bill Tynan, Engineering Union official (Hamilton South)
     
158. Paolo Vestri, former councillor who headed Scotland Forward campaign last year (Edinburgh Central)
     
159. Shiona Waldron, principal depute in theCrown Office on secondment to the Institute of Chartered Accountants (GlasgowKelvin)
     
160. Mike (now Lord) Watson was MP for Glasgow Central until boundary changes forced him out (Glasgow Govan)
     
161. Councillor Brian Weddell (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh).

162. Ian Welsh, councillor and chief executive of Kilmarnock Football Club (Ayr)
     
163. Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts)
     
164. Alan Wilson, Unison official andScottish executive member (Cunninghame North)
     
165. Nicki Wilson, current partychairman (Strathkelvin and Bearsden)
     
166. Councillor Robert Young (DunfermlineWest)