Outspoken councillor Richard Course is at the centre of a new row after being ousted from the forthcoming local elections.

The environment committee chairman was deselected as a candidate for the Arnos ward following a meeting of the Southgate Labour Party last week.

But Cllr Course has vowed to fight on and has lodged an appeal with the London Region Labour Party.

He told the Independent: "I am very disappointed in the Southgate Labour Party.

"However, I am appealing against the decision and will make a full statement after the appeal has been heard."

Cllr Course is believed to have offered to stand down as an election candidate after being found guilty of careless driving last month. He later withdrew the offer and has since appealed against the conviction.

Southgate Labour Party at first refused to accept his resignation but later did a U-turn and called on him to go at a meeting on Thursday.

The matter was referred to the Local Government Committee, which deals with Labour issues borough-wide.

And it approved the Southgate Labour Party decision at a meeting in the Civic Centre the following day.

The London Region Labour Party is expected to give a decision on Cllr Course's appeal before by the end of month.

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