Scargill stands against Howarth

The miners' leader Arthur Scargill has announced that he will stand as Socialist Labour Party candidate in Newport East in protest at the selection on Sunday of Alan Howarth as Labour candidate.

Mr Scargill was said to be appalled at the choice of Mr Howarth, who crossed the floor to join Labour on the eve of the 1995 Conservative Party conference. "The constituency is being offered the choice of a Tory and an ex-Tory fighting on Tory policies. It's a disgrace," David Prosser, the SLP's Welsh secretary, claimed. Tony Heath