Labour fails to take action against Clare Short MP

8.48.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 26th Sep 2006

Labour's ruling National Executive Committee has avoided a confrontation with Birmingham MP and ex-Cabinet minister Clare Short in a bid to avoid anymore controversy at the Labour Party conference in Manchester this week.

Initially it was said that Ms Short's case was being "fast tracked" but Labour officials decided to pull back from any bad publicity just before Blair's final conference as leader. Ms Short could face expulsion from Labour after she said she was "ashamed" of Tony Blair's government and would campaign for a hung Parliament.

Ms Short made the comments as she announced her decision to stand down as Labour MP for Birmingham Ladywood. She said then: "I have reached a stage where I am profoundly ashamed of the government," adding that she would campaign for a hung Parliament, where no party has overall control.