THE Labour Party has expelled three of its members for supporting a rival to its candidate Naz Shah in this year's General Election.

In documents leaked to the Telegraph & Argus, supporting evidence shows Faisal Khan, a former Bradford councillor; Abad Hussain and Adil Hussain, either photographed with Salma Yaqoob, who stood as an Independent in Bradford West, or using social media to promote Ms Yaqoob.

The three identical letters from Labour headquarters read: “It has been brought to our attention with supporting evidence that you supported a candidate who stood against the Labour Party in the 2017 General Election which is incompatible with membership of the Labour Party.

“You are therefore ineligible to remain a member of the Labour Party and have been removed from the national membership system.”

Mr Khan, of Garibaldi Street, Thornbury, who was a Respect and then an Independent councillor, told the T&A that he stood by his comments on social media in support of Ms Yaqoob.

“I am not hiding the fact,” he said. “Although I do not live in Bradford West, I still believe an MP should work for the constituency. which were Ms Yaqoob’s principles too.

“The majority of those who voted for Ms Shah were only following the party line. We have an MP there who is not popular and I cannot support anyone who denigrates the electorate as she has done. I have been expelled from the Party but I think it is their loss.

He went on to say he was disappointed the private letters had been leaked.

Abad Hussain, of Folkestone Street, Barkerend, was expelled for comments made against Ms Shah on Facebook which included: “Do you think Imran Hussain and Salma Yaqoob could make a dream team for the people of Bradford East and West?”

Mr Hussain said he was taking legal advice into how the letters were leaked and why the party had “gone around spying on people”.

“The dream team reference was just asking friends’ opinion. I have never actually spoken out in support of Ms Yaqoob," he said.

It is understood from a source that both he and Mr Khan were on the Party's future candidates programme.

Adil Hussain, of Emm Lane, Heaton, was said to have referred to Ms Shah as a “bad choice” and was photographed with Ms Yaqoob's supporters. The T&A was unable to contact him for a comment.

A Labour Party spokesman said: “We do not comment on the individual status of members.”

Ms Shah declined to comment, stating that it was “a Labour Party issue”.