Mccluskey’s move to deselect MP raises key points for future of the Labour Party

Your report of Len Mccluskey’s defence of his attempttodeselectianmurray (Scotsman, 18 October) raises several points.

You quote Mr Mccluskey as saying that Unite members saw the actions of Mr Murray as contemptuous. Many years ago, I was a member of the executive committee of the Scottish Division of ASTMS, a predecessor of Unite. We never discussed the deselection of any Labour MP, but would certainly not have done so without consulting ASTMS branches with members in that constituency – nor would we have got away with it if we had tried to do so. Could you ask Mr Mccluskey what steps Unite took to consult their political fund-paying members in Edinburgh South?

It is well known that there is antagonism between Ian Murray and Jeremy Corbyn. There was antagonism between Corbyn and Tony Blair during the latter’s leadership of the Labour Party, and for all I know there may have been attempts to deselect Corbyn on that account. If so, I am glad they did not succeed, and I assume Mr Mccluskey is also. What’s sauce for the goose is also sauce for the gander. The membership of the Labour Party covers a wide political spectrum, and clashes of this sort are inevitable. They have occurred many times, and can be very difficult to resolve.

There are members of South Edinburgh Constituency Labour Party who admire Ian Murray and Jeremy Corbyn for different reasons. I also know that Ian Murray has the political intellect to be a cabinet minister, so the clash between him and Corbyn is particularly regrettable, but it cannot be resolved by the party purging itself.

ROGER WEST Swanston View, Edinburgh