10 October 2008
Labour has been accused of trying to avoid a potentially damaging by-election by delaying the posting of former Scottish First Minister Jack McConnell to Malawi where he was due to become high commissioner.
Gordon Brown has instead appointed McConnell, the Labour MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, to the part-time post of a Foreign Office special envoy with the role of working with areas blighted by conflict, including Rwanda and Kosovo.
McConnell, whose party lost the 2007 Scottish election to the SNP, was due to begin representing the UK in Malawi early next year.
This would have meant standing down as an MSP. Because his new, unpaid post as a 'special representative' on conflict resolution is part-time, he will be able to remain an MSP.
Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said the creation of the job was 'blatant political manipulation' to avoid defeat in a by-election.
Labour already faces a Westminster by-election in Glenrothes on November 6, following the death of John MacDougall, and is likely to be under strong pressure from the SNP.
McConnell denied claims he had been given a 'non job' to avoid another by-election.
PFoct2008
