A former London mayor barred from running for office for five years after being found guilty of corrupt and illegal practices has failed in a bid to reduce the length of his ban.

Lutfur Rahman - who was the directly-elected mayor of Tower Hamlets - wanted to challenge rulings Election Commissioner Richard Mawrey had made on bribery in the hope of getting the chance to return to political life before the end of the decade.

But two judges have blocked his bid to mount an appeal against Mr Mawrey's bribery decisions, following a preliminary High Court hearing in London on Tuesday.

Lord Justice Lloyd and Mr Justice Supperstone gave Mr Rahman permission to launch a judicial review on one aspect on Mr Mawrey's ruling - relating to the way religious leaders had been persuaded to use influence on voters.

But they said the law meant that, if even if he succeeded in overturning that one aspect of the ruling at a final judicial review hearing, his five-year ban would remain.

A group of four voters, headed by writer and film-maker Andy Erlam, had taken legal action against Mr Rahman - under the provisions of the Representation Of The People Act - in 2015.

Lawyers for the four voters had made a series of allegations, including ''personation'' in postal voting and at polling stations, and ballot paper tampering.

Mr Rahman had said there was ''little, if any'' evidence of wrongdoing against him.

His lawyers described the group of four's claims as invention, exaggeration and ''in some cases downright deliberately false allegations''.

But Mr Mawrey made a series of findings against Rahman, who was born in Bangladesh in 1965, in April 2015 following an Election Court trial in London.

He made bribery findings after concluding that canvassers had been paid, grants had been given to Bangladeshi or Muslim groups in return for support and council money had been used to pay a Bangladeshi language television station which provided supportive coverage.

And he said evidence aired at the Election Court trial had revealed an ''alarming state of affairs'' in Tower Hamlets.

Mr Mawrey said his ruling meant that the 2014 Tower Hamlets mayoral election was void - the election was re-run in June and won by Labour's John Biggs

Mr Rahman wants to appeal by launching a judicial review in the High Court.

But he had to persuade Lord Justice Lloyd and Mr Justice Supperstone that he had an arguable case and a chance of winning before being given the go-ahead.

Mr Rahman, who, the two judges heard, had declared himself bankrupt late in 2015, would not comment after the hearing on Tuesday.

And he would not say whether he thought the two judges' rulings against and for him amounted to a win or a loss.

But one of the group of four voters was in no doubt.

"He's lost," said businessman Azmal Hussain. "The big point was the corruption. He didn't win on that. We've won again."

Mr Hussain added: "Even if he succeeds on the religious influence aspect of the ruling at a final judicial hearing - the law means that he can't get the ban cut. He lost on bribery and he'll stay barred for five years."

:: Mr Rahman is waiting for a judge's ruling after becoming embroiled in a separate High Court dispute over lawyers' bills.

Mr Mawrey had said Mr Rahman should pay legal bills - estimated to be £500,000 - the four voters had run up at the Election Court trial.

And he had ordered Mr Rahman to hand over £250,000 on account.

But the voters say nothing has been paid and they are trying to get their hands on a property they say Mr Rahman owns - in the hope of forcing a sale to generate cash.

They say records show that Rahman is the ''100% owner'' of the property.

But Rahman's wife, Ayesha Farid, has indicated that she is a part-owner - and says she has a beneficial interest.

A judge - Chief Master Matthew Marsh - analysed the dispute at a trial in the High Court in London late in 2015. He is expected to deliver a ruling in the near future.