Everton MP Murray Watt faces being kicked out of ALP's left faction

ONE of Anna Bligh's most favoured MPs is facing expulsion from the Left faction as the fallout within Queensland Labor gathers momentum.

Left flexes its muscles

The Courier-Mail can reveal that the Left's executive committee on Monday resolved to issue a "show cause" notice to Everton MP Murray Watt.

Mr Watt, a member of Labor's administrative committee, has been asked to explain why he should not be expelled from the faction for backing the party's ejection of union leader Peter Simpson.

The bitter retaliation by sections of the Left comes as a court challenge is set to be launched into decisions of the administrative committee, Labor's supreme ruling body.

Those behind the challenge will claim the rules relating to committee members handing their proxy votes to others have been broken, including at the meeting that referred Mr Simpson for expulsion.

Treasurer and party powerbroker Andrew Fraser attempted to play down the internal turmoil.

"Those are internal matters for the party. I'm not aware that there's any issue," he told the ABC.

Labor president Andrew Dettmer and state secretary Anthony Chisholm issued a joint statement: saying they were confident the proxy voting met both party rules and common law standards: "It's unfortunate some party members want to take legal action outside the party following a perfectly legitimate decision of the administrative committee."

Leaked minutes of the September 16, 2010, meeting of the committee shows assistant state secretary Jackie Trad chaired the meeting to endorse some candidates for Brisbane City Council wards.

Internal critics insist rules forbade Ms Trad chairing the meeting.

It is also understood Mr Chisholm will now not seek the national state secretary role.

Meanwhile, the LNP's candidate for Beaudesert stood down last night, claiming he could not commit the time. The decision would pave the way for local mayor John Brent to seek preselection.

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