PAKISTAN-STYLE politics in parts of Bradford West mean women are prevented from rightful progress, its constituency MP Naz Shah has claimed in a television interview.

Ms Shah told BBC Newsnight there were 'very dubious practices' in local Labour politics in some areas in her constituency

And she claimed to have been the victim of an attempted smear campaign by members of her own local party.

"It's family loyalties, it's clan loyalties, it goes back to a Pakistani model of doing things," she said, explaining that this resulted in women blocked from political office.

"The kind of misogyny that exists is quite shocking".

"It's a culture of gatekeeping. It's a culture of power politics for the sake of having power, and that power resides with men," she said.

Ms Shah said she had chosen to speak out because "politics needs women, and women deserve better" and had support from Labour leadership.

She was chosen as a candidate for Bradford West in the last election from an all-women shortlist.

In February, the charity Muslim Women's Network UK wrote to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn claiming women have been stopped from becoming councillors by Muslim men in the party.

The Labour Party said it has always campaigned to increase the representation of women in politics.

A local spokesman said today: "Labour Party has been at the forefront of the fight for women’s equality.

We have transformed the representation of women in politics and championed equality for women in the workplace and we are proud to have a fantastic woman Muslim MP in Naz Shah standing up for local people.

"The allegations and challenges outlined are not only faced by the local Labour Party, but affect the wider community too. Labour Party elected representatives are expected to maintain the highest standards of behaviour and conduct at all times.  Any allegations of individual elected representatives whose behaviour falls short of that should be reported to the Labour Party, and where relevant, the appropriate authorities."