MPs scorn the new discipline of Labour

The Labour Party is being run by "control freaks" operating a "take it or leave it" democracy, a backbench MP has claimed. The attack by Alan Simpson, left-wing MP for Nottingham South, on Tony Blair's latest round of modernisation proposals could revive threats of disciplinary action made against him last year.

In an article for July's Red Pepper magazine, he says party democracy is being destroyed. Labour is to become an American-style Democratic party, with Mr Blair as president and with iron discipline at its heart, he says. "It doesn't matter whether this is what Tony Blair wants. The control freaks now running the party demand that this is the final prize," he writes. "This `take it or leave it' democracy has become a feature of how the party is now ruled." He adds: "No amount of `Bill and Hillary' style phone-ins, hand-shaking or encounter groups create a firm basis for a socialist democratic party," The Prime Minister should have put the redistribution of wealth, better pensions and the creation of jobs before his plans to "tinker" with the machinery of his party, he says.

The document, due to be put to the Labour Party conference in October despite moves to put off the debate for a year, would represent "the final domestication of the party itself," Mr Simpson's article says. Mr Simpson was marked out as a troublemaker in December after supporting a Socialist Workers Party petition attacking the Labour leadership. He was also criticised for his Euro-sceptic views and for attacking the "hypocrisy" of Harriet Harman in sending her son to a selective school.

After maintaining a discreet silence throughout the election, he has now apparently decided to speak out again, focusing this time on the "Labour into Power" proposals to downgrade the role of the party conference and to make policy through "forums." Last night party sources said the "cumulative" effect of his latest offence added to others could be cause for disciplinary action.

Last night Mr Simpson said his comments were meant to be a positive contribution to a genuine debate on the future running of the party. "I have drawn a lot of comfort from John Prescott's explanation that Labour is a democratic socialist party and that the discussion of ideas is its lifeblood," he said. "I don't think I am out of line. I just try to get in line early."

In a separate development another dissenting Labour MP, Llew Smith, said he had been threatened with expulsion if he campaigned against a Welsh assembly. The member for Blaenau Gwent, a long-time opponent of devolution, said he had complained to the chief whip about the behaviour of the Welsh Secretary, Ron Davies.

Ministers have warned that the devolution vote in the Commons later this year will be seen as a test of loyalty, but yesterday Mr Davies denied Mr Smith's charge. "Let me assure you there's no question of threats at all, that's not in my nature," he told the BBC.