Power struggle beckons in Welsh Assembly
Labour may lose its majority in the Welsh Assembly after a party member said he planned to quit in protest over the imposition of women-only shortlists.
Peter Law is tipped to stand as an independent at the general election after the party insisted it wanted Unison union official Maggie Jones to fight the Blaenau Gwent constituency via an all-woman shortlist.
Mr Law is opposed to the candidate replacing MP Llew Smith, who has a 19,000-plus majority, being selected from an all-women list.
Without Mr Law’s support, Labour will only have 29 seats in the 60-seat assembly, leaving Rhodri Morgan, First Minister, exposed to a possible vote of no confidence.
Assembly watchers said Mr Morgan would be lukewarm on building a coalition with the Liberal Democrats to shore up his majority.
A coalition between the Conservatives, Plaid Cymru and Lib Dems could theoretically pose huge problems for Labour but the move is doubtful given the opposition from Plaid.
On Mr Law’s plans, Nick Bourne, Tory leader in the assembly, said: “This case is typical of Labour’s control freakery and obsession with hanging on to power at all costs – even if that means losing a loyal, long-serving member of the party like Peter Law.”
Mr Law, 56, faces expulsion from the party should he stand as an independent.
But he will keep his seat in the assembly, whatever the outcome.
Newspapers report the Labour Party has seen a copy of a letter advertising Mr Law’s general election campaign launch.
