A Respect party campaigner who died on the Bradford West by-election trail when his heart suddenly stopped had given up doctors’ orders of beta-blockers and turned to homeopathy instead, an inquest heard.

Father-of-one Abu-Bakr Rauf collapsed on March 20 in the Mumtaz restaurant car park after a heated discussion with another party member.

Bradford coroner Peter Straker yesterday recorded a narrative verdict that the 28-year-old died at Bradford Royal Infirmary despite every effort to save him.

Mr Rauf and other Respect members had been gathering in the Great Horton area that afternoon with their party leader George Galloway to knock on doors and rally support.

Mr Rauf’s widow Kauser was at the inquest, accompanied by Mr Galloway, who went on to win the Bradford West MP seat.

GP Adeela Khan told how Mr Rauf was diagnosed with a heart rhythm problem when he was nine and prescribed beta-blockers, but had come off them when he was 14 as they made his head heavy, his limbs ache and slowed him down at school.

“He was told he should stay on them and many a time this was reinforced, but he and his family decided they did not want to do that. He was told about the risks, but they decided to rely on homeopathic medicine,” said Dr Khan in her statement that was read out.

Mr Rauf, of Brantwood Oval, Heaton , had said he was going to faint just before he fell into a fellow party worker’s car.

Nadia MacGranthin said in a written statement how she, another campaigner and Mr Rauf had gone to her car to collect some leaflets. As she was getting the fliers out of her car, she said she heard the two men in a discussion: “I heard Abu-Bakr’s voice raised, it was very unusual for him. They were not arguing, he was just being passionate about making a point.”

As the other man walked off, she heard Mr Rauf say: “I think I’m going to faint.” She tried to break his fall, but he collapsed.

On the ambulance journey to hospital, his heart rate never deviated from a flat-line.

After the inquest Mr Galloway said: “He will be forever remembered by everyone who knew him and will live on in his daughter Arabiya.”