LABOUR's bid to find a candidate to replace disgraced MP Eric Joyce is in "meltdown" after senior figures in the local Falkirk party turned on each other.

Former Falkirk provost Dennis Goldie told Labour constituency chair Stephen Deans that the botched handling of an all-women shortlist (AWS) survey had been an "unmitigated disaster", while the local party's vice-chair has resigned his post.

A senior Labour source said: "It looks like the solution may be for the national party to take control and find out what is going on here."

Joyce, a Falkirk MP since 2000, quit Labour last year after he pleaded guilty to assaulting four people in a House of Commons bar.

His political demise means the local party in the town is having to select a new candidate for the 2015 General Election.

The three contenders are former Falkirk council leader Linda Gow, communications expert Gregor Poynton, and left-winger Karie Murphy, who is being supported by the Unite trades union.

Controversy erupted recently after Unite helped fund a "consultative survey" on whether an AWS should be used in the selection contest.

The survey was suspended by Scottish Labour headquarters amid fears the consultation was biased and had not been sent to all local members.

UK Labour official Eric Wilson was drafted in to help run the fractious selection process.

Emails leaked to the Sunday Herald can now reveal the extent of the bad blood in the local party.

Goldie, a senior Falkirk councillor and former Holyrood candidate, blasted Deans for the way the AWS had been handled: "You will agree that you were the person who organised the survey and, therefore, you are the person to whom concerns should be addressed regarding the running of the ballot/survey which proved to be an unmitigated disaster bringing both the CLP [constituency Labour party] and the Labour Party into disrepute."

Goldie also said he had received complaints at the way Deans had conducted himself at a recent party meeting.

Deans, who as well as being local constituency chair is chair of Unite in Scotland, shot back in an email of his own: "I am extremely confident that it was neither the chair nor any member of the CLP executive who ran to the press with falsehoods and misinformation and created a negative atmosphere around the survey, which was actually, mostly about trying to rejuvenate the party in this constituency. A constituency which has been allowed to wither on the vine while 'longstanding' members watched on."

He said claims about his conduct at the party meeting were "a complete falsehood and an unwarranted slight on my integrity and character".

Twenty-fours later, local party vice-chair Richard Bryce emailed members his resignation: "The aggressive and antagonistic nature of the last CLP meeting was, quite frankly, appalling. The room was clearly divided and people were routinely glared at and spoken about when they made a contribution. This kind of behaviour is rude and not befitting of people who should be pulling in the same direction."

An SNP spokesman said: "This is just the tip of the iceberg – the Labour party is in meltdown in Falkirk, and in real trouble across Scotland. Johann Lamont is meant to be leader – she needs to get a grip. The people of Falkirk deserve so much better than this from Labour."

A Scottish Labour spokesman said: "We will ensure all of our selections are open and fair to allow our members to put forward the best possible candidate to represent their community."