Five make candidature list for Livingstone by-election
Five people have made the Labour candidature shortlist for the Livingston by-election.
The by-election was prompted by death of Robin Cook, former foreign secretary and leader of the House.
Mr Cook died after falling ill on a walking holiday in the Scottish hills on August 6th.
Labour bosses on the National Executive Committee and the Scottish Executive Committee whittled the list of 12 down to five after interviews in Glasgow. A total of 40 people from across the UK initially applied.
The winning candidate will be chosen in a ballot of local party members in the constituency tonight, with result due on Friday.
The five candidates are Unison official Jim Devine (Mr Cook’s ex-election agent), sportscotland executive and former aide to Mr Cook John Duncan, councillor for Glasgow’s Asian community, Hanzala Malik, West Lothian Council deputy leader and chairman of the constituency party Willie Dunn and fellow councillor John McGinty.
Mr Devine is seen as the favourite for the vacant post and reportedly has the backing of chancellor Gordon Brown.
No date has yet been set for the by-election.
Mr Cook won a majority of more than 13,000 at the general election in May.
