Two Labour councillors were deselected as candidates for next May’s local council elections, only for the decision to be overturned by the party’s executive committee, The Courier can reveal.
Councillors Tom Ferguson and Mohammed Asif were both put forward for deselection by the local Labour authority, meaning neither would have been able to run as Labour candidates at next year’s election.
Both men successfully appealed the deselection decision — a move which has apparently angered several Dundee Labour party members, according to a source.
The appeal was approved by Scottish Labour’s Executive Committee (SEC) at a recently held meeting.
The SEC is made up of elected representatives of the Scottish Labour Party, party members, and party affiliates- such as trade union groups Unite and GMB.
Councillor Tom Ferguson, who represents Labour in the Lochee ward, said he was pleased his appeal against deselection had been successful.
Councillor Ferguson was first elected as a Labour party councillor for Dundee city in 2007 and said he would be standing again at the upcoming election.
He said: “I will present myself to the people of Lochee this coming election, as I have always done before.”
Councillor Mohammed Asif, who represents the party in Coldside, was unavailable for comment.
Mr Asif also ran as Labour’s candidate for Dundee East in the Scottish parliamentary election in 2011.
He lost to the health minister Shona Robison MSP, and received 25.8% of the vote.
Over-ruling the initial deselection decision by the Executive Committee has upset some within the party, according to a source, as they feel local knowledge and requirements have been over-looked.
Scottish Labour confirmed an appeal against deselection had been successful for both candidates
A spokesperson for the party said: “Scottish Labour has a robust set of selection procedures to ensure we have the best candidates possible.
“Our candidates in Dundee will fight against the cuts being imposed on local communities by the SNP, which are having a devastating impact on vital public services.”
