LABOUR leader Johann Lamont has been accused of presiding over a "dysfunctional" local party in her Glasgow constituency, raising questions about her ability to lead at a national level.

Seven of the nine Labour councillors in Lamont's Pollok seat are being forced out at May's local elections after being suspended, deselected or rejected as suitable candidates. The grounds for suspension include alleged financial irregularities, alleged assault, and alleged comments about a child-rape victim.

The situation has led to claims from within Labour that Lamont, who was elected as Iain Gray's successor a fortnight ago, has taken her eye off the ball in her political backyard and failed to provide leadership.

The MSP for Pollok since 1999, Lamont's majority fell from 4,393 to just 623 at the 2011 Holyrood election after an 8.5% swing to the SNP.

The seat covers the Glasgow City Council wards of Greater Pollok, Craigton, plus half of Govan.

In Greater Pollok, two of the three Labour councillors – Tommy Morrison and Willie O'Rourke – are going in May after a deselection and a suspension respectively by Labour HQ.

O'Rourke, 72, was suspended after allegedly saying a nine-year-old rape victim "wanted it to happen" at a personnel hearing last year.

Morrison failed the candidate selection process.

The ward's third Labour councillor, Alex Glass, passed candidate selection but was then dumped by his local activists.

In Craigton, one Labour councillor, Ruth Black, has been suspended for more than a year over alleged irregularities at a gay and lesbian centre she ran with her partner.

And in Govan, all three Labour councillors are out: Stephen Dornan and John Flanagan failed candidate selection, while Shaukat Butt was suspended after being charged in September with allegedly assaulting his wife.

One Labour party source said: "Johann Lamont wants to be the leader in Parliament, but where is the leadership is her own backyard?"

Another said: "She's never here. If you ask people around Pollok who their MSP is, you'll find it hard to get an answer. She's always busy at Holyrood. She flies into local party meetings, gives a report, then flies out again."

The problems in Pollok have echoes of the feuding and indiscipline which plagued Iain Gray's local party in East Lothian when he was Labour leader, and which seriously undermined his authority.

James Dornan, the SNP MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, said: "If the new Labour leader presides over a dysfunctional local party, how can she provide leadership at a national level?

"With just four months before the local elections Labour's internal problems are piling up and Glasgow deserves so much better."

Lamont, 54, a former English and history teacher, also risks being eclipsed by Scottish Labour's new deputy leader, Anas Sarwar.

Senior party figures say the 28-year-old Glasgow Central MP will succeed Lamont as leader, with a view to becoming First Minister.

One Labour councillor said: "It's an open secret that people in the party are giving Johann two years. Anas is seen as her successor."

Another councillor added: "He [Anas] will just wait for something to happen to Johann. She's certainly incapable of taking on Alex Salmond. I think she's bought herself a whirlwind."

Asked about the problems in Lamont's seat, a Scottish Labour spokesman said: "Across Glasgow and throughout Scotland, the Scottish Labour Party is determined to change. Being an elected representative for Labour is not a job for life, and party members in Glasgow – who select the candidates to field – want change. No-one should underestimate Scottish Labour's determination to field the best possible team of candidates to serve the people of Glasgow again."