PM aide 'dumped as party candidate'

12 April 2012

The position of a top Labour Party aide involved in the cash-for-honours affair was described as "untenable" amid reports that he had been dumped as a potential MP.

Meanwhile, Downing Street denied reports that a handwritten note by Tony Blair was among new evidence uncovered by police investigating the affair.

The Scottish Daily Express reports that John McTernan was being lined up to contest a by-election in a safe Labour seat in Glasgow. But the paper claimed the plans had now been shelved as a result of his involvement in the cash-for-honours probe.

Last week it emerged that Mr McTernan was questioned for a second time by police investigating the allegations that peerages were given away in return for loans. Normally based at Downing Street, the aide is currently helping Labour's campaign for the Scottish Parliament elections this May.

Nationalist leader Alex Salmond the reports, if true, meant Mr McTernan's position was now untenable, also claiming the Labour campaign in Scotland was becoming "a farce".

The Scottish Sunday Express said Mr McTernan, a former journalist, was being groomed for Glasgow East, currently held by veteran MP David Marshall. The aide has already addressed party members in the constituency as a prelude to any selection, the paper added.

Mr Marshall, 65, confirmed that he had met Mr McTernan, but scotched rumours that he was standing down himself. The MP told the paper: "You can't stop the rumour mills but, as far as I'm concerned, I'm alive and well and it's my intention to carry on."

Officials at the Scottish Labour Party said they "do not know of any plans" to replace Mr Marshall. Last week it also emerged that First Minister Jack McConnell had been embroiled in the cash-for-honours investigation. He revealed he had been questioned for 15 minutes last December by detectives from Scotland Yard.

The Sunday Telegraph reports that the note by Mr Blair was understood to acknowledge efforts of 12 wealthy Labour backers who provided £14 million in undisclosed loans to help fund the 2005 general election campaign.

The paper said that Mr Blair had written his comments in ink on typewritten internal government papers and initialled them. A No 10 spokesman said: "This is completely wrong. There isn't any such document."

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