British Labour faces legal threat to set up in North

The British Labour Party is facing legal moves to force it to set up branches in Northern Ireland.

Trade unionist Andy McGivern, of the UK's GMB, is planning to approach equality commissions in England and Northern Ireland to help fund a court case against the party.

He says British Labour is contravening Article 25 of the Race Relations Order (Northern Ireland 1997) by refusing to set up branches in the province.

"The article makes it unlawful to deny anyone on racial grounds membership of an organisation and (British) Labour is doing just that by refusing to organise in Northern Ireland," he said.

He announced the plan after the political office in Downing Street told him it was against the party's constitution to set up branches in Northern Ireland.