Christine Shawcroft said she still believed that Lutfur Rahman was innocent

Labour’s new head of party discipline previously joined Ken Livingstone and George Galloway in defending a disgraced mayor who was ousted for bullying Muslims.

Christine Shawcroft, a veteran hard-left activist, became chairwoman of Labour’s disputes panel this month. The body investigates allegations of sexual harassment, antisemitism and other disciplinary breaches.

She was appointed by Labour’s national executive committee (NEC) immediately after three Momentum-backed activists had joined the body.

Her close ties to Lutfur Rahman, the former mayor of Tower Hamlets, and willingness to speak out in his defence with Mr Galloway, who was expelled from the Labour Party 15 years ago, and Mr Livingstone, the former London mayor, will raise concerns among anti-Corbyn activists about Ms Shawcroft’s elevation, although she is not expected to hear