SCOTTISH Labour are embroiled in a row over voter "irregularities" concerning a Holyrood selection contest.
The Daily Record reports a party figure has claimed he discovered members not living at the houses listed in Labour records for the Edinburgh North Western contest won by Irshad Ahmad.
The paper also reports allegations that the electoral register showed some members living in a different council area.
Ahmad is a former SNP and Alba candidate who defected to Labour, who is now ranking first on Scottish Labour's regional list in Edinburgh and Lothians East, giving him a very strong chance of becoming an MSP.
Under Scottish Labour rules, a candidate can only stand on a regional list if they have first been selected to fight a constituency.
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The Record reports Ahmad was selected for the Edinburgh North Western seat after winning a contest 20-19 last year.
A party figure reportedly raised concerns during the selection, and resubmitted the concerns on Monday.
He told the Record: “There were two or three instances where the person living there said they had no idea who the individual was. And they [the residents] weren’t members of the Labour party.
“The people living at the addresses said they had never heard of the individuals and that they had lived there for years.”
He added: “I also found houses with multiple members, but when I started to check the electoral register the same individuals were not in the same local authority area.”
The figure called for an investigation as he said that nothing had happened when he initially flagged the issues to the party.
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"I reported data irregularities and I have subsequently resubmitted those," he said.
“I think they are taking it seriously.”
A Scottish Labour insider told the Record that claims of irregularities were investigated and found to be without merit.
A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: “All selections are run in accordance with rules agreed by Scottish Labour’s executive committee.”
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