 | 'This is the usual struggle between the Brownies and the rest. A political heavyweight like David Martin would have been a natural choice for a constituency like Bearsden, but personalities have got in the way again.' A Labour party insider, 26 th March 2001. |  |
Labour's constituency party in Strathkelvin and Bearsden will meet tonight to select a successor to Sam Galbraith, whose resignation as environment minister and MSP was reported exclusively by The Herald last week.
But Mr Martin, a Euro-MP for 17 years and a vice-president of the European Parliament, was yesterday vetoed by Labour in London in his bid to contest the by-election.
Mr Martin, from Edinburgh, was required to "withdraw" from the selection process after the party's national executive ruled that he could not stand without its permission.
Party insiders claimed the executive had invoked the rule merely to clear the way for its preferred candidate, Brian Fitzpatrick, an advocate, who worked for Donald Dewar in the late first minister's private office. Mr Martin was widely seen as the preferred choice of Henry McLeish who succeeded Mr Dewar last October.
One party member said: "This is the usual struggle between the Brownies and the rest. A political heavyweight like David Martin would have been a natural choice for a constituency like Bearsden, but personalities have got in the way again."
It is thought Mr Martin did not ask the NEC for permission because the coming contest is a by-election and he was under the impression the rule did not apply.
Mr Galbraith, 55, won his Westminster seat in 1987 and held it in the Scottish Parliament elections with more than half of the vote. His majority of 12,121 made Strathkelvin and Bearsden the safest Labour seat in Holyrood and a certainty for Labour in the by-election, which is likely to be held on the same day as the general election.
The former minister, an eminent neuro-surgeon in his former career, is reportedly the longest surviving recipient in the UK of a lung transplant and said he was standing down to protect his health.
Mr Martin, 46, who regularly chairs meetings of the European Parliament and is an expert on Scotland's evolving relationship with Brussels and the EU institutions, as well as the complexities of the European treaties, was said to be "furious" at the turn of events.
He was known to have the blessing of Henry McLeish in his bid to enter the Scottish Parliament. Mr McLeish is a member of the by-election selection panel which also includes John Lambie, Labour's Scottish chairman.
The decision to keep Mr Martin in Europe suggests there will be renewed tension inside Labour between Edinburgh and London after criticism by Westminster MPs earlier this year of Mr McLeish's performance as first minister.
Mr Martin, married with two children, was known to want to return to domestic Scottish politics after his long service in Brussels and Strasbourg, which involves constant commuting from Edinburgh.
He is regarded as one of Britain's most eminent Euro-MPs and has long championed Labour's fight against the SNP's campaign for independence in Europe. He is very much on Labour's pro-Europe wing, a strong supporter of political and economic integration and the European single currency, and has campaigned for democratisation of the EU institutions and more power for the European Parliament.
Party sources said his exclusion now made the selection outcome difficult to predict, although Mr Fitzpatrick appears to be the strongest contender, with support from Gordon Brown, the chancellor. The other names on the shortlist are: Nicky Wilson, the Scottish miners' leader; Rachel McEwan, a Labour Party researcher; and Lesley Sutherland, a trade union official.
-March 27th
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