Gordon McMaster: "taunted by Colleagues"

Call for Wider Inquiry into Paisley Politics

Mr McMaster took his own life two and a half weeks ago, leaving a suicide note referring to an alleged whispering campaign against him by a number of Labour colleagues.

The party has now launched an investigation. But the former Labour chief whip on Renfrew district council, Bobby Stevenson, says the inquiry must be widened to include all aspects of political life in the area.

Backstabbing

Mr Stevenson told the BBC's Today programme that the: "In-fighting in politics in Paisley is the worst I've ever known anywhere. Some of the in-fighting was really vicious."

Politicians in Paisley are refusing to speak until after Nick Brown's inquiry

Over the last week alone the Labour party in Scotland has found itself immersed in allegations of political backstabbing, membership packing, even alleged links with drug gangs.

Bobby Stevenson expresses his concerns on the Today programme (Dur:4'36")

Most of those at the centre of the allegations, as well as key figures in the Paisley political world have gone to ground, either leaving the area or refusing to answer their phones until the inquiry, now being conducted by Labour Chief Whip, Nick Brown, is complete.

Mr Stevenson, who first proposed Gordon McMaster to fight the seat of Paisley South, was himself de-selected as a councillor two years ago following a power struggle over the formation of the new Renfrewshire council.

Taunted

He said Gordon McMaster had been taunted by colleagues for some years, and that he wasn't the only one. He said Labour politicians in Paisley were all jockeying for position: "It's hard for an ordinary person to realise exactly what the factions (in the area) are and why they do it," Mr Stevenson said. "When you consider that because of this thing a young man has lost his life ... What's politics (compared) to the life of a young man?"

Mr Stevenson said the investigation should be much wider than just the circumstances surrounding the suicide. "It's no good having an investigation into three or four MPs. That has nothing to do with it", he claimed.

He wanted to see Nick Brown take the inquiry on to the ground of ordinary politics in the Renfrew area.

Investigation Update

Police declined to comment on the content of the report, or say if it related to Mr Sarwar himself.

The report was submitted on Wednesday 13th August to the procurator fiscal in Glasgow.

Under Scottish law it is for the procurator fiscal to decide whether or not charges should be brought and, if so, what they should be.