Watson criticises changes to parliamentary selections, as making it “more likely special advisers will be selected”

Tom Watson has criticised Ed Miliband’s decision to take responsibility for choosing the shortlists for Labour parliamentary selections as of 11th December.

The reform  was signed off by the Labour national executive committee (NEC) earlier in the week – and it gives an NEC selection panel the power to choose the shortlist that is then put to the local party in question.

Watson, who was previously Labour’s campaign co-ordinator said: “It is remarkably early for the leader’s office to take such influence over Labour selections. The effect of this change is to deprive rank-and-file activists and ordinary party members of the right to a full one member, one vote selection as envisaged by John Smith.

“It makes it more likely that selected special advisers and people that have spent their whole lives in politics will be selected at the expense of ordinary party members. The changes means that there is a danger that candidates will be filtered out and not put on the shortlist”

There is still plenty of time for MPs to step down before the general election, meaning the way the selections work are very significant indeed…