Vicky Foxcroft. Photo: Bill Konos.
Unite union official and Lewisham councillor Vicky Foxcroft is at the centre of Conservative calls for an investigation into her selection as Labour MP candidate for Lewisham Deptford.
The Tories have asked Metropolitan Police to launch an investigation into the selection process in May when Foxcroft, a full time official representing banking workers was chosen as candidate for Lewisham Deptford to succeed the long serving Dame Joan Ruddock. Labour has dismissed the claims as ‘a silly political stunt.’
On Monday, Bob Neil, a vice-chairman of the Conservative Party, wrote to Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police suggesting that events in Falkirk – where the union has been alleged to have signed up members to the Labour Party without their consent – were “just the tip of the iceberg.”
Neil said: “Unite themselves admit they are targeting another 40 Labour Party parliamentary selections for similar treatment. Senior Labour Party sources have also confessed that the problems go wider than just Falkirk.”
Neill repeated claims by London Labour activist Mandy Richards who has alleged that Unite are ‘bankrolling’ a number of ‘orchestrated’ campaigns and singling out Lewisham Deptford.
The letter adds: “Again, given that this constituency appears on Unite’s secret list I am deeply concerned that Falkirk-style abuses may also have taken place.”
On July 6, Richards tweeted:
A Labour spokesman was quoted yesterday as saying: “We have no evidence of possible criminal behaviour anywhere outside Falkirk. If Bob Neill has, he should produce it. If he has not, he should stop wasting police time.”
A Unite spokesman said: “The Conservatives are wasting police time and trying to engage the police in a disgraceful political witch hunt. We strenuously reject any suggestion of criminality or that we have broken Labour party rules.”
The Metropolitan Police said yesterday that they had not yet formally received Neill’s letter.
Foxcroft was elected as a Lewisham Councillor for Brockley ward in May 2010. She has not responded yet to requests for a comment.
