Labour set to compete in the North

The British Labour party is expected to lift its ban on people in Northern Ireland joining the party.

The ban was in place to encourage socialist voters to join Labour's sister party in the North, the mainly nationalist SDLP.

The party fears the ban will end up in the courts with trade unions branding it as racist.

It is worried that lifting the ban will put Labour election candidates in direct competition with the SDLP.