Straw in ring for Tyson battle

Jack Straw is expected to face tough questions

Home Secretary Jack Straw is expected to come under fierce attack at Westminster over his decision to allow Mike Tyson back into Britain for a fight in Glasgow next month.

Labour backbenchers and opposition MPs are set to criticise Mr Straw's decision to grant the former heavyweight champion and convicted rapist a visa for the fight on 24 June.

It emerged over the weekend that the boxer's management team was granted a meeting with Mr Straw 12 days before the visa was granted.

He (Jack Straw) can't be dictated to by MSPs - they have no say, they have no jurisdiction.

Jimmy Wray, Labour MP

But Labour backbenchers opposed to the fight against Lou Savarese at Hampden Park said they were not granted the same privilege.

The decision has caused indignation among many Labour and opposition politicians in Westminster and the Scottish Parliament and been attacked by women's groups and trades unions.

Two Labour MPs, Marie Fyfe and Jimmy Wray, publicly clashed over the issue on Monday.

Speaking on Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland, the member for Maryhill Mrs Fyfe said the government had not consulted adequately before the decision was made.

'Cackling geese'

But the Baillieston MP Jimmy Wray said the Mr Straw had acted fairly

Mr Wray said: "We are getting a lot of rubbish about public opinion - the Daily Record is saying 62% of people are against him coming and now we see the News of the World saying 59% are in favour."

He then went on to accuse MSPs of acting like a "bunch of cackling geese".

Jack Straw: Held private meeting

Mrs Fyfe hit back by saying: "Well as one of those cackling geese, it is quite obvious that a majority of opinion in the Scottish Parliament is opposed, it is obvious that a large number of backbench MPs are opposed and it is obvious that public opinion is strongly against - we even have the STUC saying they plant to hold a demonstration over the matter."

She added: "Mr Straw told us in January that the Tyson fight was a one off because of particular circumstances. I would like to hear what the reasons are this time."

But Mr Wray pursued his criticisms of his Labour colleagues at Westminster and Holyrood.

He said: "There has been a lot of questions and a lot of phoney talk. I read some of the newspapers today and they were an absolute disgrace - Labour MPs accusing the home secretary of making a decision before he had heard everyone's views.

Labour lobby

"He can't be dictated to by MSPs in the Scottish parliament, they have no say, they have no jurisdiction. I think he has made an honest and fair decision."

More than 70 Labour MPs have vehemently opposed Tyson's entry, which will come four months after he was allowed to fight Julius Francis in Manchester.

Under devolution arrangements, the home secretary has reserved powers over immigration decisions.

The cabinet at Westminster decided to ignore what the Holyrood parliament was saying

Labour MSP John McAllion

However, some Labour MSPs and opposition counterparts are angry and members of the Scottish Executive dismayed over what has been perceived as Mr Straw's poor handling of the decision.

Dundee East Labour MSP, John McAllion, defended Mr Straw's right to decide but said the way he had gone about it had been damaging.

He said: "The affair has shown that the Holyrood parliament can unite and express a view that cuts across parties and that's a very good thing.

Jimmy Wray: "Jack Straw was right"

"But where I think the weakness was exposed was in fact where the cabinet at Westminster decided to ignore what the Holyrood parliament was saying and, if they had been totally honest, they ignored what the Westminster parliament was saying as well."

But Eastwood Labour MP Jim Murphy said the issue was being used by the opposition to undermine the devolution settlement.

He said: "People are trying to use it as some kind of constitutional battering ram for their own purposes but that's not the case."

The issue is also due to be debated in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday.