Labour blow for Livingstone

Ken Livingstone's hopes of a return to the Labour Party were in deeper trouble than ever today.

The inquiry by the Standards Board comes at the precise moment that Labour's leadership is looking with a wary eye at his appeal to be re-admitted. It handed heavy ammunition to his opponents, led by Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, who have warned that a Livingstone comeback would be more trouble than it is worth.

Labour's ruling National Executive Committee is set to decide Mr Livingstone's-fate later this month. The Mayor's allies, including a substantial number of Labour's London MPs and assebly members say the party should reverse the ban imposed two years ago when Mr Livingstone chose to run as an independent against the official candidate, Frank Dobson.

His opponents, however, say the exile, imposed for at least five years, should stay. They point to what they say is his history of political dishonesty and disloyalty coupled with what is at best a patchy record as Mayor.