Labour plunged into sexism row over appointment of Tommy Sheridan supporter

Labour has been plunged into a sexism row after giving a job to an activist who defended Tommy Sheridan.



Jim Monaghan, who was the spokesman for the Defend Tommy Sheridan Campaign, has been taken on as a community organiser for the party in Scotland.

Former Scottish Socialist Party leader Mr Sheridan was jailed for perjury in 2011 over evidence he gave in a defamation case against the News of the World, which had made a series of claims about his personal life.

Mr Monaghan claimed the left-wing politician was the victim of a conspiracy and played a key role in unsuccesful efforts to clear his name.

They included attempts to paint women who gave evidence against Mr Sheridan as liars.

It has been claimed that the Labour leadership in London was instrumental in ensuring Mr Monaghan got his party job, which he began last month.

However, in a statement posted on Twitter, the Scottish Labour Women's Movement said they would be raising their concerns about Mr Monaghan with UK Labour general secretary Jennie Formby, and her Scottish counterpart Brian Roy, about the decision.

The intervention is significant because the group's members include Monica Lennon, a Scottish Labour MSP and the party's Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Equalities at Holyrood.

A Labour spokeswoman said: "We don't comment on staffing matters."