Postal union in affiliation row

The branch represents 4,000 postal workers

A branch of Britain's biggest postal workers union has sparked a row by breaking Labour Party rules and affiliating to another party.

The Edinburgh and Lothian section of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) handed over a £500 cheque to the Scottish Socialist Party.

The branch represents more than 4,000 postal workers.

Secretary Derek Dirkin argued that no rule had been broken because the branch continued to support Labour.

He said the money was a donation towards a European election fighting fund.

However, he also confirmed that extra cash would go to the Scottish Socialists.

This money will help us fight the council tax and win a European seat in June Tommy Sheridan Scottish Socialist Party leader

Mr Durkin said his members were unhappy at Labour's treatment of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) and at the government's drive to open up the Post Office to competition.

SSP leader Tommy Sheridan said: "To receive financial support from the trade union movement is a tribute to our solidarity work.

"Union members cannot understand why the Blair Labour Party continues to receive millions of pounds of union members' hard-earned cash.

"This money will help us fight the council tax and win a European seat in June."

A senior CWU insider said the decision of the branch to affiliate to another party would cause a major row at its annual conference in June.

Earlier this year the RMT was forced out of Labour when several of its branches affiliated to the SSP.