Henry McLeish: Reselected by party

Mr McLeish resigned as first minister amid controversy over his office expenses last year and the issue has failed to go away, with fresh developments last week.

But Labour Party officials had dismissed reports ahead of the vote that Mr McLeish's future was uncertain and said he had won a ringing endorsement.

A spokesman said: "Henry McLeish won a resounding endorsement from Central Fife Constituency Labour Party, winning his reselection by 12 votes to one."

The so-called Officegate scandal which led to his downfall has centred on a series of sub-lets of his constituency office in Glenrothes.

Mr McLeish claimed expenses from the House of Commons on the office when he was Westminster MP for Central Fife - but failed to declare the �36,000 he made from sub-lets.

'Badly let down'

Mr McLeish decided to quit when a further sub-let involving the Third Age Group came to light after he had declared details of five others to the media.

Last week, a Labour councillor who was closely involved with the charity resigned, citing media harassment.

Angela McCallum alleged that she had been "badly let down" by Mr McLeish, who failed to publish details of the leasing arrangement at the height of the affair.

Fife Council's audit committee is carrying out an inquiry into allegations that it paid �40,000 to the charity - which provided services to old people - after it had been wound up.

Scotland's auditor general, Robert Black, has also been asked to investigate by Scottish National Party MSP Tricia Marwick.

Fife Council Leader Christine May promised that the council investigation would not be a cover-up and said she was "extremely concerned" at the damage the affair had done to the image of Labour and the council.