THE Labour party has lifted the five-month suspension of an entire team of councillors accused of breaching party rules.

The National Executive Committee has allowed the 16-strong opposition group on the Liberal Democrat-controlled Durham City Council back into the fold.

The suspension was imposed in September because the group ignored instructions to ban Esh Winning councillor David Cummings from meetings while he was suspended following a complaint. Coun Cummings subsequently quit the party to become an Independent councillor.

Group spokesman Paul Taylor said: "A new era has now begun for the group. In my three years as a city councillor, I have never known a time when group members have been so committed and enthusiastic.

"There is a real sense of unity among Labour councillors and a feeling of real togetherness.''

He added that nearly all the candidates for May's elections had been chosen and that all wards would be contested.

He said: "We have some exciting candidates coming aboard with new energy and new drive.''

But he said long-serving members, including Maurice Crathorne, leader when Labour was last in charge, and Mike Syer, were standing down.

Regional director Fiona Twycross said the suspension was imposed after the group failed to follow instructions to bar Coun Cummings.

"The suspension was not of individual members of the party but related to the functions of the group only. All nine sitting councillors who wished to re-stand have been interviewed by an external panel and the panel was impressed by their commitment to their local communities.''

She said the main inquiry relating to the case centred on the allegations against Coun Cummings, but he had left the party.

When he resigned, Coun Cummings, who plans to stand as an independent in May, accused the party of "Big Brother" tactics and said it was run by "control freaks".

The city's Labour MP, Roberta Blackman-Woods, said the party had "turned the corner", was listening to local people and would "offer people a real choice from a Lib Dem council that only serves the most affluent communities."