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Labour running a 'dirty tricks' department

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON SEPT. 29. Britain's ruling Labour Party has been accused of running a "dirty tricks department'' whose victims are said to have included not only leading Opposition figures, but some of the Government's own prominent members, including the Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott.

The existence of the "Attack Unit'', set up when Labour was in Opposition, is admitted by the party but claims that it is used only to rebut Tory propaganda. A report in The Sunday Times, however, listed specific instances of "muck-raking'' prompting the Tory shadow deputy prime minister, David Davis, to demand an inquiry.

``The alleged activities of the Labour Party's so-called Attack Unit are a matter of serious public concern,'' he said. His party colleague and shadow home secretary, Michael Howard, who is alleged to have been one of its victims wanted to know whether the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, was aware of what was going on.

Mr. Howard, who had a torrid time denying an alleged love affair with a constituent when he was Home Secretary in the Tory Government, said: "I was aware that a smear was circulated about me but I had no idea it came from the Labour Party.''

Other Tory leaders, reported to have been targeted through anonymous media leaks, include the former party chief, William Hague, who was the subject of embarrassing headlines alleging that he had not disclosed his earnings from private sources as required under Parliamentary rules.

A former high-profile Tory treasurer, Lord Ashcroft, had a rough time over allegations relating to his overseas business links; and a Liberal Democrat councillor was forced to resign following lurid media reports-allegedly "inspired'' by Labour-that he had acted in a pornographic video.

More damaging, however, is the allegation that the Unit victimised some of Labour's own big beasts.

These included attempts to plant a "mole'' in the office of Mr. Prescott in order to "keep an eye'' on him, and to defame Ken Livingstone after he broke from the party to run for Mayor of London.

Labour however dismissed the report as "old hat'' saying the Unit was now used only to contradict allegations.

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