Naveeda Ikram, Britain's first Muslim Lord Mayor is being investigated by police over allegations of 'financial irregularities'

Britain's first woman Muslim Lord Mayor is being investigated by police over allegations of 'financial irregularities', it was revealed today.

Naveeda Ikram, a councillor in Bradford who was shortlisted to be Labour's parliamentary candidate to unseat George Galloway in the general election, today insisted she was completely innocent.

But Labour today moved to suspend the Pakistani-born councillor from the party until the investigation had concluded.

West Yorkshire Police today confirmed Cllr Ikram was under investigation following a complaint.

However, the police refused to give any further details of the investigation.

A police spokesman told MailOnline: 'We can confirm we have received a report of alleged financial irregularities.

'Enquiries are at a very early stage and are ongoing.'

A Yorkshire and Humber Labour Party spokeman confirmed Cllr Ikram had been suspended 'pending an investigation'.

But the councillor today played down the situation this morning, insisting it was just 'normal procedure' for the party to suspend anyone facing an allegation.

She said: 'An allegation has been made against me and it's completely just down to normal procedures, that if an allegation is made against a councillor, they are suspended.

Cllr Ikram (pictured in 2011) says the suspension is 'administrative' and she is 'completely confident' that she will be exonerated

Cllr Ikram was shortlisted to be Labour's parliamentary candidate to unseat George Galloway (left) in Bradford East but lost out to Naz Shah (right) a charity worker from the town

'The allegation was not connected to my role as a councillor and the suspension is 'administrative' by the Labour Party.

Cllr Ikram was caught up in a toxic internal Labour party row earlier this year after going to the police over claims she had been 'smeared' online

'I am completely confident I will be exonerated completely.'

Cllr Ikram was caught up in a toxic internal Labour party row earlier this year after going to the police over claims she had been 'smeared' online.

She said she had been impersonated online by someone trying to suggest she had racist and sectarian views.

Cllr Ikram became the UK's first female Muslim Lord Mayor in 2011. She was also the first woman of Pakistani origin to become a councillor in Bradford - having first been elected in 2004.

At the time, she said her achievements showed 'the progress that has been made in this country'.

She said: 'I can say whole-heartedly I have had overwhelming and massive support and as a British Asian I think it shows what a tolerant society we are living in.'

Her father came to Britain from the Punjab in the mid-1960s and began working for Cadbury's in Birmingham before landing a job at the Habib Bank.

He ended up as a bank manager and his family settled in the Little Horton area of Bradford, which Mrs Ikram has represented since 2004.