by Conrad Landin

in Glasgow

MARGARET HODGE should not be allowed to “simply continue unabated as a Labour MP” and party member, transport union TSSA said today.

Delegates at the union’s conference in Glasgow voted for a motion slamming the Barking MP for “endorsing tactical voting, including voting for candidates other than Labour” in the recent European Parliament elections.

In a broadcast interview Ms Hodge said “the way you should go” was “taking whatever action you need ... that gives you the best likelihood of electing somebody who will be a pro-European MEP.”

The motion said Labour Party rules were “very clear” in stating that those who advocate support for “any candidate who stands against an official Labour candidate” will “automatically be ineligible to be or remain a party member.”

Delegates said the rule had been “enforced many times” in recent years and scores of members had been investigated over the offence.

“Allowing Ms Hodge to simply continue unabated as a Labour MP and member would be a clear double standard,” it continued.

The union’s general secretary Manuel Cortes said: “All we are asking is that the rules are fairly applied.”

The motion called on the union’s executive to “make clear to the Labour Party” that these rules should apply consistently by “suspending any party member” that breaches them.

A Barking and Dagenham Labour source said: “Margaret Hodge has been pissing off members locally for years.

“If she can’t even obey the Labour Party’s most basic rule, it’s hard to see how she can stand again as a Labour candidate.”