Wallasey Labour party has been suspended amid allegations of bullying and intimidation shortly after Angela Eagle pulled out of the party’s leadership race.
It is understood that the move follows recent unrest among members and following moves to deselect Merseyside MP Eagle after she announced plans to challenge Jeremy Corbyn.
A North West Labour spokesperson confirmed the suspension saying “Any complaints of bullying or intimidation and allegations of misconduct are always taken very seriously.”
It means the Labour Party’s regional office will take over the administration of the suspended local party.
The decision was approved by the Labour Party general secretary Iain McNicol and the move will mean that the local party can not submit motions to the party conference due to be held in Liverpool in September.
Wallasey’s Labour constituency party have previously claimed there had been “threats of violence” in a row over the party’s leadership.
A statement by Wirral’s Young Labour group in support of Ms Eagle claimed a CLP meeting at the end of June saw “ threats and a walkout by ashamed members ”.
The area’s Labour constituency office building was also attacked with a brick the day after the MP announced she would be standing for the party’s leadership.
Today Paul Davies, vice chair of the Wallasey CLP, described the suspension as “another attack on democracy”.
He said: “No one from the Labour Party has ever raised any allegation with Wallasey CLP.
“There was no allegation made until we said we still support Jeremy Corbyn.
“This suspension, when all CLPs were already prevented from meeting anyway until October, is merely an attempt to smear ordinary members who had the temerity to challenge the Labour Party establishment; the same establishment that has banned 150,000 members from voting in the leadership election.”