AN EMAIL asking Labour party members not to campaign for its suspended Heaton candidate Mohammad Shabbir has been leaked to the Telegraph & Argus.

The e-mail from Labour's regional organiser Ciaran Tully warns: "It has unfortunately been a turbulent and distressing week for the Labour Party in Bradford.

"We ask that members refrain from campaigning with Mr Shabir and instead would like to direct you towards campaigns in the following wards, Keighley Central, Wibsey, Wyke, Royds and Thornton and Allerton.

"We are going to face a difficult week and to ensure we maintain control of the Council and return our Labour Cllrs we will need your support."

Cllr Shabbir was suspended alongside Bradford West Labour MP Naz Shah for making social media posts of a similar nature to comments she had made about Israel, also on social media, before she was an MP.

A Bradford Labour spokesman said: “We don’t take any election for granted and are working hard across every ward to win."

Cllr Shabir today insisted he was still be standing as Labour's candidate for Heaton with or without party members' support.

"I am a Labour party member suspended pending an investigation. I am still the candidate for Heaton. It doesn't change anything.I am looking forward to the investigation and will co-operate fully with it because I don't think I've done anything wrong. "

Cllr Shabbir said he has also made complaints of election malpractices to the council's elections unit and to police about being followed in his car, his daughter being harassed outside her work and social media posts saying he was not now standing for election.

Tonight, Barry Whitaker, chairman of Bradford Conservative Association, said: "The high degree of Labour Party activity in Heaton calls into question the effectiveness of the suspension and the how much notice is being taken of it.

"Is the Labour Party locally disregarding the authority of the Labour Party nationally?"