Labour battle over safe seat candidate

A LABOUR civil war escalated today over who should contest a safe seat in London at the next general election.

John Austin, the retiring Labour MP for Erith and Thamesmead, reacted furiously after Blairite minister Tessa Jowell spoke in his constituency supporting the selection of 22-year-old Georgia Gould tomorrow to fight the seat.

He sent an angry letter to Ms Jowell, the MP for Dulwich and West Norwood, accusing her of behaving in a "highly inappropriate" manner for "interfering" in another constituency party's selection process.

Mr Austin also wrote to Commons Speaker Michael Martin accusing Ms Jowell of breaching the protocol that MPs tell their colleagues if they officially visit another MP's constituency.

Oxford graduate Miss Gould is the daughter of Lord Gould, one of the architects of New Labour, and is backed by many of former prime minister Tony Blair's supporters including his former press chief Alastair Campbell.

But Brownites and other Labour Left-wingers are fighting to stop her being chosen as the party's candidate from the eight-strong all-women shortlist.

Mr Campbell has suggested Charlie Whelan, the political director of the Unite union and Gordon Brown's ex-press chief, is behind the anti-Gould campaign.

About a third of the Erith and Thamesmead party has registered to vote by post, sparking accusations that Blairites have campaigned to persuade people to back Ms Gould by turning up with postal voting election forms already filled in with their name, address and telephone number.

Mr Austin holds the seat with a 11,500 majority.