LABOUR activists in Wales reacted angrily today to reports that the selection process for the Vale of Glamorgan constituency was being taken over by Welsh Labour.

Activists expressed their fears to the Morning Star that this was an opening move to block left-wing candidate Belinda Loveluck-Edwards from standing again in the marginal Westminster seat.

Ms Loveluck-Edwards was endorsed as the candidate by former party leader Jeremy Corbyn in summer 2018 and increased the Labour vote to 23,743 in the 2019 general election.

Many right-wing constituency members, including some councillors, refused to campaign for her and some tried to publicly damage her Westminster bid.

The move to dissolve the selection committee was communicated to members by email yesterday and seemingly without any discussion with the constituency party.

The reason given was because of alleged complaints, but without any information given and with members left perplexed and frustrated.

Welsh Labour said this was not a reflection on the local party or its selection committee.

It is also understood that the Welsh executive committee had not been informed of the move.

The decision follows on from similar party interference in decision-making in Britain to block left-wing candidates.

A Welsh Labour Grassroots spokesperson said: “The decision to take the selection process out of the hands of the local party is very troubling.

“We have seen questionable intervention in parliamentary selections elsewhere in the UK, always when there has been a strong left-wing candidate with local support.”

The group is worried that Welsh Labour is taking the same route in gerrymandering selection processes by taking control away and into the hands of regional Labour staff.

Welsh Labour has been approached for comment.