The selection process for Labour candidates to stand for election to Aberdeen City Council has been suspended after a muddled vote and accusations of “meddling”.
As the Press and Journal revealed on Saturday, Deena Tissera a former beauty queen and public health PhD student had won the nomination to stand in May’s council elections for the George Street and Harbour ward.
The shock result meant sitting candidate and transport spokesperson Sandra Macdonald had not be re-selected.
But in an email to all members of the Labour Party in Aberdeen sent on Sunday, all of the selection votes in the city have now been declared “void”.
One member described a culture of “meddling” in the democratic process.
Selection process suspended
In a leaked email, Aberdeen Labour’s local government party secretary, Jacob Campbell said: “In light of matters which have come to the party’s attention, I am emailing to inform you that, to allow these matters to be investigated, the selection process in Aberdeen has been suspended with immediate effect.
“This means that Wednesday’s planned selection meeting for Hazlehead, Ashley and Queen’s Cross ward will not go ahead.
“The party apologises for any inconvenience that this causes to candidates and to members as a result of this suspension.”
While no individual members of the city party wanted to go on the record, and in fact were told to direct the media to the party’s national office, one member told the P&J a series of text messages were sent to members in the hours after yesterday’s shock result.
Aberdeen Labour candidates told by text message selection was ‘void’
One of the texts, shown to the P&J, said the selection was going to be declared “void” as a member had not paid their membership fees, and therefore it is believed that person did not have the right to vote.
As Saturday’s selection was tied, the candidate to represent the party in May’s election was chosen by pulling a name from a hat.
A text message seen by the P&J read: “It is possible that the participation of this member affected the outcome of the meeting, we have checked with HQ in Glasgow about what should happen.”
The messages reveal that yesterday’s selection has now been revealed as “not valid and must be declared void”.
It adds: “…neither Deena or Sandra has been selected for ward eight (George Street and Harbour), and so both are entitled to stand in any of the remaining selection meetings, or for ward eight or any other ward.”
Both Miss Tissera and Mrs Macdonald have been told not to speak to the press.
‘Meddling in selection process’
One Labour Party member told The Press and Journal: “(I am) Furious that people are so entrenched against change that they will try to overturn and meddle in the process.
“Selections were being run fairly, and because people don’t like the outcome they want the battle to be re-run.
“Change is needed in Aberdeen as this whole fiasco shows. The control of the party is in the hands of the membership, not in gift of one or two who think they are at the top.”
A spokeswoman for the constituency party said it was unable to comment.
Scottish Labour’s media office said the selection was for the local party, and would not comment.
