A BURNLEY man at the centre of the Ken Livingstone London mayoralty row declared today: "I helped select him - but I won't be supporting him"

Shahid Malik, son of Burnley Council deputy leader Coun Rafique Malik, was on the 12-person panel which finally put "Red Ken" on the shortlist as Labour's Mayor of London candidate - but only after a four-hour grilling to pin him down to straight answers and a commitment to the party's manifesto.

The decision to shortlist the left-wing MP immediately plunged Labour into its most divisive internal battle for years, as Prime Minister Tony Blair said he would head the "Stop Livingstone" campaign to prevent any return to Labour policies of the past.

Shahid, 31, chief executive of a multi-million pound regeneration company in London, was drafted on to the panel as an independent-minded Labour man after former members excluded themselves by publicly attacking the former Greater London Council boss.

Shahid, of Colne Road, Burnley, said the final decision of the panel, meeting in the glare of the world's press, had been unanimous.

"We had to give Ken the benefit of any doubt no-matter how long it took to get there."

But the Commission for Racial Equality commissioner said he did not believe the popular Londoner was the man for the most powerful directly-elected job in the country. The former Barden High School pupil, who recently lost out narrowly to Hilary Benn for selection as Labour's candidate at the Leeds West by-election, said he believed the official Labour preference, Frank Dobson had all the credentials for the powerful post.

"I agree with Tony Blair that we cannot move back to the ways of the '80s, with a candidate not only associated with that period, but one who does not appear to have moved on. There is potential for real damage if Ken is elected.

"I think we have to have someone who is not looking back, but forward into the new millennium."

Shahid said he was confident Labour party members in London would not select Mr Livingstone to run, despite his personal popularity.

He said his role on the selection panel was the most historic and exhilarating experience of his political life so far.

He believed Mr Livingstone was shocked by the determination of the panel to get crystal clear assurances, following his earlier statements which had been ambiguous, confusing and sometimes diametrically opposed to earlier assurances.

"We made it clear there would be no fudge and that unless we received a 100 per cent assurance that he would abide by the criteria, he would not go on the shortlist.

"He eventually gave those assurances and we must take him on his word," said Shahid.

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