8:27pm Monday 27th August 2007
By Andy Parker
A LABOUR social club is set to withdraw support for the national party amid outcry over the selection of a London barrister to defend MP Brian Iddon's seat.
Yasmin Qureshi was selected to fight the safe Bolton South-east seat at a ballot on Sunday.
But members of Dixon Green Labour Club, where the vote was held, are unhappy a local candidate was not chosen and many have cancelled their party membership.
Club treasurer Jim Cottam said the committee would discuss withdrawing its annual subscription to the Labour party at a meeting on Sunday.
Mr Cottam said: "There's been a lot of animosity in this club, which used to be staunch Labour, over the issue of a Londoner coming here.
"At the moment we have an MP who comes in here regularly and looks after the pensioners but I'd never seen Ms Qureshi here before the vote."
Mr Cottam, who also chairs the area branch of the National Union of Labour Clubs, said he knew of 11 people who were cancelling their party membership over the issue.
But Farnworth and Kearsley Labour Club treasurer Jimmy Scoular said he thought it was a knee-jerk reaction.
"People don't want someone from London but it was a democratic vote and they can't argue with that."
Bolton South East constituency party treasurer Cllr Sean Hornby said his preferred candidate - local chairman Kevin Meagher - was "clear favourite" after the first round of voting. However, a complex system, with members offered six preferences, meant Ms Qureshi leap-frogged him in later rounds.
"We have to live by the rules and thus accept them," he said.
Pakistan-born human rights lawyer Ms Qureshi, whose father used to live in Great Lever, dismissed claims she would not be able to represent the area and has accused people of "sour grapes."
She said last night: "People are trying to muddy the waters."
"The question should always be who is the best person for the job. Tony Blair had no real connection with his Sedgefield constituency."
She said she had won the contest thanks to hard work.
"I've had my legal practice on hold for seven months because I've been here most days meeting party members and now I'm looking for a house here."
Ms Qureshi, who would be the first woman Asian MP if she is elected, said she would begin shadowing Mr Iddon today and attend advice surgeries.
Bolton West MP Ruth Kelly was among those to congratulate Ms Qureshi.
"She's hard-working and committed to improving the lives of all those living in Bolton South East."
David Crausby, MP for Bolton North, said the selection of a Muslim woman was a "real step forward", while Bolton Interfaith Council secretary Tony McNeile (corr) said: "The selection of an Asian woman is a reflection of modern society in Bolton."
Bolton Council leader Cliff Morris added: "It will be nice to have a young Asian woman representing Bolton so we have a nice mix of MPs."
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