A MEMBER of Militant who stood against Robin Cook has been chosen as the Labour candidate in the former Foreign Secretary’s old constituency.
Wendy Milne has been selected for the Westminster seat of Linlithgow and Falkirk East.
Ms Milne, the current chair of the Linlithgow Constituency Labour Party, was thrown out of Labour in 1990 for belonging to the Trotskyist faction, which was purged for operating as a party within a party.
The Herald reported at the time that “Ms Wendy Milne of Livingston was excluded from membership” of Labour for three years.
She later joined the Scottish Socialist Party, and stood against Mr Cook in 2001 Livingston, part of which now lies within the Linlithgow and Falkirk East seat.
The SSP manifesto on which she stood included a commitment to Scottish independence.
The party said it wanted Scotland to be “a nation and has the right to control its own economy, its own welfare system and its own defence policy.
“We stand for a fully independent government in Scotland which has powers over the economy; the welfare state; taxation; employment and company law; overseas trade; interest rates; exchange rates; and defence.”
Ms Milne lost her deposit after polling 1,110 votes to Mr Cook’s 19,108.
In a recent Facebook post, Ms Milne boasted she had “campaigned for Labour at every General Election since 2005”, but omitted opposing Labour in 2001.
Her selection for the seat, which is currently held by SNP MP Martin Day, has surprised some Labour members, particularly MSPs.
One Scottish Labour source said: "Robin Cook was one of our finest parliamentarians who took a principled stance over the Iraq war.
“So it's stunned many in the party that someone who considered him too right-wing and stood against him in an election is now Labour's candidate for his old seat.
“It's sickened many senior figures who were around at the time. I suppose next we'll be unveiling George Galloway as a candidate."
However Ms Milne’s candidacy was welcomed by the pro-Corbyn Campaign for Socialism.
Rhea Wolfson, a Scottish member of Labour’s National Executive Committee, also said she was thrilled that a “great comrade” had been selected.
Ms Milne said: “I re-joined the Labour party in 2006 because Labour is the vehicle for transformation in this country and how it has always been Labour and the wider movement that has been the force for good in improving the lives of all of our people rights across all parts and sections of our country.
“I am currently the chairperson of Linlithgow Constituency Labour Party and I was encouraged and supported to put myself forward for selection by local members.”
A Scottish Labour spokesman added: “Wendy Milne has been an active member of the Labour Party for over twelve years, having re-joined in 2006. The next General Election can happen at any time and only Labour can deliver the real change Scotland needs to see."
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