LABOUR ASKS IF SALMA WOULD IN LADYWOOD

12-09-2007

Birmingham Respect Councillor Salma Yaqoob has revealed that Labour officials tried to poach her to stand in Ladywood following Clare Short's decision to quit the party.

Yaqoob said: "Two of their people from the Sparkbrook constituency came and approached me, but once I knew what they were after I wouldn't even discuss it.

"During the last council elections, Labour were putting it about on the doorstep that I was joining them, but it was complete and utter lies.

"And when it comes to a parliamentary election I'm standing for Respect. There have been no secret discussions and no dialogues."

There's been speculation that Labour is under pressure to select a female candidate in Ladywood which, with Short's departure, can't be regarded as a safe seat - Yaqoob will stand instead in Hall Green.

As readers of The Stirrer Message Board will know, there's been speculation that Respect is in a state of internal meltdown, with MP George Galloway claiming that it's "divided, moribund and facing oblivion" (see here)

He also said that Yaqoob had been "airbrushed from our history at just the time when she is becoming a regular feature on the national media and her impact on the politics of Britain's second city has never been higher."

Salma refused to discuss what she described as "internal party matters."

Labour's Regional Organiser Keith Hanson was unavailable for comment last night.