ES News email The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday - Friday plus breaking news updates Enter your email address Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive lunchtime headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts, by email Update newsletter preferences

Labour peer Lord Mendelsohn has been effectively sacked from the party’s front bench after attending the controversial Presidents Club gala.

It comes after Jeremy Corbyn asked him to step down, saying “there can be no excuse for anyone's attendance” after reports of sexual harassment at the event emerged.

Dozens of young women were employed as “hostesses” who had to wear skimpy black dresses and high heels at the dinner at The Dorchester Hotel in Mayfair.

A Labour Lords spokesman confirmed on Thursday evening that he had left his position within the Labour party.

The spokesman said: “Jeremy Corbyn has this evening asked Lord Mendelsohn to step back from the front bench as he attended the Presidents Club dinner, and he has agreed to do so.

"Lord Mendelsohn has previously made clear that he attended part of the dinner as president of a charity that received support from the event and he had no knowledge of an after-party.

"Lord Mendelsohn did not witness any of the appalling incidents described in reports and has unreservedly condemned such behaviour."

The peer had been a Labour spokesman on business and international trade matters in the House of Lords.

A spokesman for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "It's right that Lord Mendelsohn has stepped down.

"The reports about this appalling event were deeply shocking and there can be no excuse for anyone's attendance."

The President’s Club will not host any further fundraising events following the media storm that erupted over undercover reporting at the charity fundraiser.

The furore also saw one of the organisers, David Meller, step down from his role as a non-executive director for the board of the Department for Education.

The remaining funds raised by the club will be distributed in an efficient manner to children's charities and it will then be closed," the organisation said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon.

Scotland Yard was also today under growing pressure to investigate claims of “groping and harassment” at the all-male event.

At least three MPs were contacting the Metropolitan police to look into allegations about the way women were treated at the function for 360 people, which was billed as “the most un-PC event of the year”.

In a joint letter to Met Commissioner Cressida Dick, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable and his deputy Jo Swinson highlighted the public outrage over the reports of “wealthy and powerful men groping, intimidating and abusing women working at a charity dinner”.