Scottish Labour members in Edinburgh Southern have passed a motion of no confidence in the party's general secretary, Kate Watson, over the selection process that led to Irshad Ahmed becoming an MSP.
Motion Criticises Selection Process
The local party said it "deplores" the "failure" of Watson to respond to questions about Ahmed topping one of Labour's regional lists this year. The motion also expressed "deep concern and anger" over a "flawed selection process" that culminated in Ahmed's election.
Ahmed previously stood for the SNP and Alex Salmond's Alba party, but joined Labour around the time of the 2024 general election. He was then selected as a constituency candidate and secured first place on the Edinburgh and Lothians East regional list, effectively guaranteeing his election to Holyrood.
Concerns Over New Members
His success stunned observers as he beat established MSPs Daniel Johnson and Martin Whitfield, despite their decades of party service. Labour insiders said the key factor behind Ahmed's success was his team's recruitment of new members.
The Edinburgh Southern constituency Labour party (CLP) passed the motion on Thursday. The text singles out Watson, who has been general secretary since 2024, for criticism.
Demands for Answers
The motion states: "This CLP expresses its deep concern and anger that the General Secretary of the Labour Party in Scotland refuses to answer serious questions put to her officially on behalf of this CLP on 19th March and repeated on 2nd May about the deeply flawed selection process that allowed a candidate to flood his local party with new members and top the list of Labour Candidates in Lothian region, in spite of being a recent strong supporter of the SNP and Alba under not only John Swinney but also Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond and in spite of having no record of non-recent Labour Party membership."
It continues: "This CLP deplores the failure of the General Secretary to respond to its legitimate questions, or provide information on 5 key aspects we asked about the selection of this former SNP and Alba activist..."
The "five key aspects" included voting totals for each List candidate, a breakdown of how each Edinburgh CLP voted, and information on data provided to candidates. Members also sought confirmation that all information issued to candidates fell within data protection regulations.
The motion concluded: "This CLP expresses its no confidence in the General Secretary and requests an urgent response to its two original communications and the points made above."
The motion was sent to the Scottish party last week. Johnson secured his Holyrood seat in May, while Whitfield lost his constituency battle and was too low on the List for re-election. Labour have been contacted for comment.
