Battye misses out

Oldham Councillor John Battye, who was named in the Election Court case which ousted MP Phil Woolas, failed in his attempt to become a candidate.

The long-serving councillor and former Mayor of Oldham was among 80 who put their names forward to Labour’s National Executive Committee last week.

He made it down to the long list of 14 who were invited to Labour HQ for interview, but failed to make the three-person shortlist.

Councillor Battye said: “I was interviewed for about 20 minutes and my CV clearly said I had worked for Mr Woolas, but the issue of the election court was not a question put to me.”

Councillor Battye was named in the historic court case in Uppermill in September for writing letters on behalf of a former Liberal Democrat volunteer, Rebecca McGladdery. She claimed Mr Woolas’s opponent at the General Election, Elwyn Watkins, paid is staff below minimum wage.

He was also involved in calculations which led to claims in Labour leaflets that Mr Watkins had exceeded his legal budget for the campaign.