THE head of the regional Labour Party has written to party members in Workington, warning them not to protest over being denied a vote for the prospective MP candidate for their area - or they could be kicked out the party.

The Labour Party is this week moving closer to selecting its MP candidate for the new Whitehaven and Workington constituency, although the process has been mired in controversy.

With the new constituency not being fully confirmed by the Boundary Commission, the candidate for Whitehaven and Workington is being decided in Copeland only.

A number of candidates have stepped back, leaving a shortlist of two. In addition, it's understood postal votes have already been submitted for candidates who have since withdrawn.

This week, around 200 members of the party in Workington received an email telling them to stop in their fight for a vote in the final parliamentary selection which will happen on Saturday.

In an email seen by the Times & Star, head of regional governance and local government north Andy Smith said: “It has come to our attention that communications have been made to Party members in Workington that seek to hold a ‘hustings’ event for the Copeland CLP Parliamentary selection and that members have been encouraged to attend a ‘demonstration’ outside the Copeland CLP Parliamentary selection hustings meeting.

“It is an abuse of process and potentially a breach of Party membership rules for members from another CLP to seek to influence, interfere and/or otherwise disrupt another CLP’s internal democracy.

“I appreciate there is an active debate with regard to which boundaries the Copeland CLP selection should be conducted under.

"However, this does not obviate or mitigate from the requirement not to act in a way that could be seen to unfairly effect another CLP’s candidate selection.”

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Mr Smith ‘directed’ that members should not demonstrate at the Copeland hustings due to be held at Cleator Moor Civic Hall at 9.30am on Saturday and that only authorised officers should speak to the press.

A Workington Labour Party member, who wished to remain anonymous on fear of expulsion, told the Time & Star: “As a member of the Labour Party, I am disgusted that once again Workington Man and Woman are being gagged.

"Not only are we not allowed to vote for a candidate who will stand as our MP, they are trying to silence our protestation to a wholly undemocratic process.

"I find it disgraceful that Labour North is attempting to intimidate Workington members with this email.

"It is a heavy-handed approach with incorrect information - we have had no hustings or have been given a date for one.

"I remain committed to supporting the Labour Party and its values in spite of our exclusion.

"All we can ask for is that Copeland members attending the hustings stand with Workington members in solidarity and support our call for a fair and democratic parliamentary selection process."

They have also hit back at parliamentary selection candidate Josh MacAlister, following a letter which was sent out to Copeland CLP members and later leaked to The Whitehaven News.

In a letter sent out to members of the Copeland constituency Labour Party (CLP) on Sunday, June 11, Mr MacAlister criticised what he believes is a 'small group of members' who he says are trying to 'derail the process' by making 'false claims'.

The Workington member said: "Workington Labour Party members are astounded at the letter sent by Josh MacAlister to Copeland party members.

"Not only is he misinformed but also shows complete political naivety and disregard for the paying members of Workington.

"All Workington members are asking for is a truly democratic process and their right to vote in the selection process."