Fresh McConnell cash claims denied

Auditors have been called in by party chiefs

Fresh claims that up to £50,000 has gone astray in Jack McConnell's constituency have been denied by the Labour Party.

The Sunday Times newspaper claims the money could be unaccounted for in the First Minister's Motherwell and Wishaw party.

Auditors have been called in buy Labour chiefs to examine what some reports have called a "black hole" in the constituency party's accounts.

The Sunday Times suggests money from fundraising events, union and private donations and affiliation fees remain unaccounted for in the party¿s official accounts.

Jack McConnell is being urged to make a statement

The paper further claims that documents passed to auditors includes correspondence about the affair between Mr McConnell and local party officials.

The documentation is alleged to show that Mr McConnell and his staff failed to produce important documents on time, declined to attend key meetings and misled officials over the nature of some payments.

An interim report on the matter has been given to Scottish Labour Party General Secretary Lesley Quinn.

A party spokesman said the £50,000 figure quoted in the newspapers is an "exaggeration", but opposition parties have demanded Mr McConnell make a detailed statement