LABOUR members in Wales are in uproar after the Welsh executive committee (WEC) agreed to impose a candidate for the new Caerphilly constituency at the weekend.

Welsh Labour Grassroots (WLG) issued a strong statement before the executive committee met.

“The proposal to impose Islwyn MP Chris Evans onto the new Caerphilly seat is yet another attack on the democratic rights of Welsh Labour members.”

The group unsuccessfully urged the WEC to reject what it called an undemocratic imposition and support a democratic selection.

According to a member of the WEC, the proposal to select Sir Keir Starmer’s shadow minister for defence procurement was put forward by Welsh Labour officials.

Two counterproposals that would have allowed local constituency members the chance to vote on whether they wanted Mr Evans as their candidate were rejected.

Officials told the meeting that legal advice meant if Mr Evans was not selected that he could successfully take the party to court, though the legal advice was not made available before the secret vote.

According to a WLG spokesperson the decision “will cause problems within the constituency with members in uproar and mass resignations threatened.

“The strength of feeling is such that it is possible that an independent candidate might stand.”

A second contentious decision was the selection of Swansea East MP Caroline Harris as the sole candidate for the new constituency of Neath & Swansea East.

Neath MP Christina Rees is suspended from the party while bullying allegations are investigated and was unable to stake her claim for the new constituency.

But the suspension of MP Geraint Davies after allegations of sexual misconduct has not stopped him from going for the new seat of Blaenau Gwent & Rhymney.

The latest decisions come in the week that socialist MP Beth Winter lost her selection battle against shadow minister Gerald Jones with accusations the contest was rigged.

“This was not a fair contest and I will be taking advice and soundings in the days ahead about my next steps,” Ms Winter said after narrowly losing the vote.

She has pledged to continue campaigning on climate change and the cost-of-living crisis on behalf of her constituents.