THE two candidates in the Scottish Labour leadership race have agreed to respect the result, in spite of fears over ghost memberships and a rigged ballot.
Despite obtaining a QC’s opinion on the legality of the process, centrist MSP Anas Sarwar said he would not mount a court challenge if he lost on November 18.
Appearing alongside him on BBC Sunday Politics Scotland, his left-wing rival Richard Leonard also confirmed he would not try to challenge the result if Mr Sarwar won.
Both sides in the bitterly fought contest have raised issues about an influx of new members.
It emerged on Friday that around 4000 new members and affiliates had joined since Kezia Dugdale quit as leader on August 29, entitling them to a vote on her replacement.
Edinburgh South MP Ian Murray, one of Mr Sarwar’s supporters, last month complained to party HQ that a recruitment drive by the Unite union may have “rigged” the contest in favour of Mr Leonard, a charge Unite vehemently denied.
Meanwhile supporters of Mr Leonard raised concerns about clusters of sign-ups, including in Mr Sarwar’s Glasgow Southside base, with suspicious contact details.
There was also grumbling that many new recruits had “Asian sounding names”, with the suggestion that people were being signed up for reasons other than supporting Labour.
Mr Sarwar confirmed he had received a QC’s opinion on the legality of the contest.
He said: “We raised concerns that were brought to us by individual members around the sign-up process from one particular union.
“We sought advice from the Labour Party. We also sought legal advice on that as well.
"I think there should be a level playing field. It should be the same rule for everybody.”
Pushed on whether he would challenge a close victory for Mr Leonard in the courts, he said: “After this contest, whoever wins, we unite behind that leader and we get in behind them.
“If Richard wins, I will be a solid supporter of Richard."
“No [I will not challenge the result]. I will support Richard if Richard is the leader and I would hope Richard would do the same back.”
Mr Leonard said: “Yes, I will accept the result. I haven’t sought QC's advice or opinion on any of this. I’ve put my faith in the internal Labour Party process. I think it is a fairly robust process."
Mr Sarwar also said it was wrong to "racially profile the membership" and scrutinise "who’s got an Asian-sounding name or who doesn’t".
He said: "There has been suggestions in the newspaper that have made certain communities feel as if their membership has been questioned.
“I want us to welcome people of all backgrounds and all communities in the the Labour party, because only that way can we get the Labour party back into power.”
It also emerged parliamentarians have been banned from using their local membership lists to promote candidates after Mr Murray, his Holyrood counterpart Daniel Johnson, and one of Mr Leonard’s supporters, MSP Neil Findlay, did so.
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