A Labour election hopeful has been booted out of the national party after allegations of inappropriate conduct.

Peter Owen, who vigorously denies the allegations, was due to stand for the Highbury East ward in May’s elections but was deselected.

Islington Labour asked the national party to investigate the allegations, which ended in his expulsion from the party last month.

However, when the Gazette contacted Cllr Paul Smith, deputy leader of Islington Labour Party, he said he knew nothing about the details of the investigation.

Cllr Smith said: “All I know is we deselected him as a candidate and that decision was upheld.

“That’s not necessarily a bad reflection on Peter, these things happen all the time.

“I don’t know anything about his party membership. There is a whole due process, but I have no involvement in it.

“I can’t tell you any more than that because I wasn’t involved.”