A MEMBER of the Labour party in Workington has claimed that the process to choose the party's next parliamentary candidate is sidelining the wishes of local members.

A disgruntled party member - who did not want to be named 'on fear of expulsion' - has raised concerns that, due to the creation of the new Whitehaven and Workington seat, a Whitehaven candidate longlist will effectively exclude 200 Workington members from the vote.

The Workington member has also suggested the national party is moving to install preferred national candidates.

Selections have begun for the parliamentary constituency candidate, with a longlist being devised by the regional executive of the party.

In recent months, accusations have been levelled at the party elsewhere in the country that left-leaning candidates are being blocked from standing after ‘due diligence’ interviews with Labour national executive committee (NEC) members - who are allegedly seeking to install preferred candidates.

It is understood that only two local candidates have been selected from the four on offer for the seat in the longlist for Whitehaven, with concerns also being raised at local Whitehaven councillor Joseph Ghayouba being turned down from the longlist.

A member of the Workington Constituency, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed: “The heart of the Workington constituency of over 200 members are being excluded from having a say in picking their candidate, because of the gerrymandering of the Labour Party to impose their candidates."

The member said that the current situation ‘harks back to a plot in the 1977’ where they alleged the leader of the party’s office was ringing party members demanding they should vote for Tom McNally, and in the end Mr McNally received eight votes.

The member said: “Within a short period of time McNally deserted the party and went to the Liberal Democrats serving as their leader in the Lords."

The member is disappointed at what they believe is an attempt by the national party to impose candidates on the area and said the constituency party feels ‘forgotten’ by national officials.

The member said: “The whole thing has a stench about it, where decent local candidates have either been excluded from the longlist or trying to be marginalized by the warring factions at the centre.

“The 200-plus people from Workington must have a say, we are almost being forgotten by the infighting, at a time when we should be standing together with strong local candidates, and it looks like we have at least two placemen being foisted upon us.

“People who now - because of the new boundary changes being recognised as a safe Labour seat - declare their long-time loyalty to the people of west Cumbria.

“I know that people in the Workington constituency are fighting on behalf of the community to be represented and if one of these people are selected as the MP they will never be accepted by our community.”

The Labour Party were contacted but declined to comment.