As previously reported, general committee delegates attending Prestonpans Labour Club on January 22 voted 25-5 in favour of revoking Ms Moffat's candidature ahead of the forthcoming general election.

According to East Lothian Constituency chairman Willie Innes, the Labour Party took legal advice before ruling that the meeting should proceed as there was "no legitimate reason to stop it."

The allegation by Mr Innes — which Ms Moffat is said to deny — is that her challenge implied that the party had invited non-general committee delegates to attend.

Threatening

Mr Innes apologised to Labour members who, after receiving an "unauthorised and anonymous" letter asking them to attend, were not allowed entry to the meeting.

In a statement to party members, obtained by the News, Mr Innes revealed: "Unfortunately our MP wanted to stop the meeting going ahead and a legal challenge was made to the Labour Party threatening to seek a court injunction to stop the meeting if it was not cancelled."

Campaigning

Ms Moffat was unavailable for comment but a source close to the MP told the News: "The case put forward by the CLP is not sufficiently robust enough to have any MP removed from office and therefore the NEC will not deselect Anne.

"The position is that Anne is campaigning with every intention of fighting and winning the general election."

Detailed report appears in East Lothian News and Musselburgh News, February 5, 2010