Labour leaders were struggling to retain a facade of unity yesterday, as rumours abounded of back-stabbing, rifts and conflict within the party. Officials moved to quell reports of a smear-campaign against the MP for Brent East, Mr Ken Livingstone. The alleged rumours were designed to sabotage his chances of becoming mayor of London, according to yesterday's Sunday Times. The party - insisting that the stories are false - has threatened legal action in response to any further accusations.
The row centres on allegations that Mr Livingstone fathered an illegitimate child. The Sunday Times reported that senior Labour officials disclosed details to them of an alleged mother and six year-old son. The rumours have come in the wake of accusations that Labour has an "anyone but Ken" stance on the race for mayor. Labour's assistant general secretary, Mr Phil Murphy, reacted: "There is not a shred or scintilla of truth in any suggestion that senior officials of the Labour Party are spreading rubbish like this. Indeed if anyone is making such accusations they will face an extremely costly libel action."
Mr Livingstone himself said: "If I am given the name of any Labour official spreading this I will issue a writ for malicious libel first thing on Monday morning." The Prime Minister, Mr Blair, has meanwhile put off making a decision on who will be the party's candidate until after the Labour Party conference in October.
Talk of internal discord within the party has been further fuelled by reports that Mr Blair is likely to strip his deputy - Mr John Prescott - of his responsibility for roads and public transport. The move would be seen as a snub to the Deputy Prime Minister, who many believe is increasingly at odds with the Labour leader.
It is believed that the Prime Minister intends to redirect the key policy position to the current Minister for Health, Ms Tessa Jowell, who is regarded as a loyal New Labour figure. There has also been speculation that Mr Blair intends to sack several ministers favoured by Mr Prescott. The Deputy Prime Minister has countered these rumours by asserting that were he to forfeit the role, it would be handed over to one of his allies.
The renewed controversy broke just as Mr Blair and his deputy made a concerted effort to quell rumours that their relationship was under strain. Speaking at a Labour rally in Scarborough, Mr Blair praised his deputy and the spirit of change in public services. "I believe in public services, I value public servants . . . It is because the government believes in public service, because we recognise its potential that we will always be the friends of the good and the enemy of the second-rate. "It's not a contradiction, it's two sides of the same coin. And speaking of two sides of the same coin, let me also say that anyone who thinks John Prescott does not expect every local council, every public employee to give of their best to the people they serve don't know the man, do not understand the vision that he and I both share of a vibrant popular, confident public service."
The Prime Minister's official spokesman meanwhile insisted: "It was not, is not, and never has been the intention of the Prime Minister to strip transport out of the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions."