Exclusive:Anas Sarwar' top aide accused of causing 'unnecessary divisions' after Labour MSPs embroiled in selection row
Local Labour leaders in Dundee have warned a left-wing MSP has been disadvantaged in favour of a frontbencher tipped to become a future party leader.
Anas Sarwar’s chief of staff has been accused of causing “unnecessary divisions” between two rival MSPs after leaked paperwork revealed claims a left-wing politician was “forced” into a doomed selection battle with a frontbencher earmarked as a potential future leader.
A row has erupted in Dundee after Michael Marra, Scottish Labour’s finance spokesperson, won a selection contest against left-wing firebrand MSP Mercedes Villalba.
Despite candidates needed for the two city seats at next year's Holyrood election, Ms Villalba, has missed out on selection for either constituency.
According to local sources, Ms Villalba was “forced” by party chiefs to contest the Dundee West selection against Mr Marra, seen as a replacement for Mr Sarwar if he is forced to quit after next year's election - despite her wanting to stand in either constituency including Dundee East.
A Scottish Labour source has claimed Ms Villalba changed her mind too late when it emerged she would have to go head-to-head with Mr Marra in Dundee West.
But correspondence seen by The Scotsman shows Ms Villallba wrote to the party’s general secretary, Kate Watson, who is also Mr Sarwar’s chief of staff, raising concerns she was being blocked from running in Dundee East.
Labour usually twins selections for constituencies - with a male and female shortlist drawn up to select the two candidates. Labour’s Scottish Executive Committee (SEC), decided to un-twin the Dundee contest - with some local members accusing the hierarchy of doing so to disadvantage Ms Villalba.
A senior party source said the seats were un-twinned as only three viable candidates - Ms Villalba and Mr Marra, and Cheryl-Ann Cruickshank who went on to win the Dundee East selection unopposed - came forward.
But in a letter to Ms Watson, Ms Villalba confirmed an “expression of interest” in both Dundee seats and the North East regional list, adding that when the two Dundee constituencies were initially twinned she indicated interest in both seats in her application, adding: “I have not withdrawn my application for either seat”.
In April, Ms Villalba was told by Labour HQ that “I had been successfully longlisted for Dundee City West”, but at the same time was “also informed” that party bosses had decided to un-twin the seats.
She added: “I would therefore be grateful to receive written notification of the outcome of my application for Dundee City East.”
In a letter also sent to Ms Watson and to deputy leader Jackie Baillie, seen by The Scotsman, chairman of the Dundee Constituency Labour party (CLP), Richard McCready, warned that the local party was “deeply concerned” that the seats were un-twinned.
He added: “This is a change to the advertised process which applicants originally applied for.
“As a CLP, we are concerned that any move to have two sitting MSPs contest the same seat will cause unnecessary divisions in our CLP and impact our ability to return Labour MSPs locally and a Labour government at Holyrood.
“We would urge the Scottish Executive Committee to listen to the concerns of local members and affiliated trade unions and move to ensure that our two MSPs can contest separate or twinned seats in Dundee.”
Dave Ward, general secretary of the Communication and Workers Union (CWU) also raised concerns with Ms Watson - warning Ms Villalba had been “unfairly disadvantaged” by the selection process.
The Scottish Labour leadership did not respond directly to the concerns raised by the Dundee CLP or the CWU in a move Dundee Labour sources claim was party bosses “moving to overrule” local concerns.
A Labour spokesman said: “Labour candidates are selected by the votes of local members who select the person they believe should represent them.
“All selections are carried out in line with rules and procedures agreed and overseen by Scottish Labour’s Executive Committee.”
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