A LEAKED dossier about anti-semitism and its handling within the Labour party has revealed how party officials plotted to stop "raging Trots" from holding senior positions in Scotland. 

The 860-page document, which has been widely circulated since it was leaked to Sky news on Saturday, also shows that Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard was blocked when trying to escalate a complaint of anti-semitism about Dundee Councillor George McIrvine.

It states that senior members of the party's governance and legal unit (GLU) had talked about trying to stop "trots" from being selected in a Scottish seat, and described former Scottish Labour deputy and current Fife MSP Alex Rowley as a "some knobber" who had "done some trot nominating himself". 

The term 'trot' is thought to be an insulting term describing people who are socialists, or Trotskyists. 

The remarks were made in a conversation between the party's former head of the GLU John Stolliday, and Anna Wright, one of the party's press officers. Stolliday is now working for trade union Unison, in the member liaison department. 

It states: "John Stolliday discussed trying to stop “trots” from being selected as Labour’s candidate for a parliamentary seat in Scotland, while fellow Labour press officer Anna Wright suggested that Gordon Brown might want someone who “has done some trot nominating” to take his seat."

A conversation between the two party employees, from November 3 2014, is documented as follows: 

John Stolliday: "We're in special selections period now, but they're going to call a special org sub to pretend we're doing this in a more open way ... there is literally no candidate & while they need someone good to come forward they're desperate to stop the Scotland trots from using it to increase power base ... it's up for grabs so if you have any friends who would be good get them to go for it"

Anna Wright: "And in Edinburgh No one in the frame?

"Okay, I might subtly suggest to one person in particular" 

John Stolliday: "Literally no one - they're trying to stop some of Johann [Lamont]'s people by the sound of it & want someone good who can keep the seat for ages

"Plus they're all worried about Gordon's seat - they want to do an AWS[All women shortlist] there but GB [Gordon Brown] has apparently kicked off & told them they can't - he must have someone in mind

Anna Wright: "Aye it'll be some knobber like Alex Rowley

"Who I note has done some trot nominating."

It also reveals that in May 2015 Cameron Scott, Scottish Labour’s then campaign and PR chief suggested “some raging trot” from “the unions” would probably become deputy leader in Scotland.

He is alleged to have made the remarks ahead of the party's leadership elections, triggered by Jim Murphy's resignation on May 16 that year. 

The report was intended to be submitted as an annexe to the Equality and Human Rights Committee (EHRC)'s investigation into anti-semitism within the party, and focussed on the GLU's activity between 2014 and 2019. 

However it is now not going to be submitted, following reported interventions from the party's lawyers.

While it suggests there was clear factionalism within the party, it also picks up on failings of the GLU before Jennie Formby, the current general secretary, took over in 2018.

It states there was "abundant evidence of a hyper-factional atmosphere prevailing in party HQ in this period, which appears to have affected the expeditious and resolute handling of disciplinary complaints”.

The report said it might not seem immediately clear why this is relevant but “many staff, including GLU staff and senior staff with responsibility for managing and overseeing GLU, were bitterly opposed to the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn, and seem to have been demotivated, or largely interested in work that could advance a factional agenda”.

It said: “At its extreme, some employees seem to have taken a view that the worse things got for Labour the happier they would be, since this might expedite Jeremy Corbyn’s departure from office. Further, there is little evidence of strong management of procedures, workloads and priorities in HQ, which also impacted GLU’s work.”

Leaked conversations contained within the report show hostility towards Mr Corbyn and his allies by senior party officials. WhatsApp messages show former director of communciations Seumas Milne being described as "dracula", saying he was "spiteful and evil", while Mr Corbyn's former chief of staff Karie Murphy described as "medusa" and a "b***h face cow"  that would “make a good dartboard”.

When asked why the report was now not being submitted to the EHRC, a Labour spokesman said: “The party has submitted extensive information to the EHRC and responded to questions and requests for further information, none of which included this document."