JOHN BOOTH, the former Labour press officer who is standing against his old boss Peter Mandelson in Hartlepool, was formally expelled from the party yesterday after 31 years of membership.

It was no surprise because, as Ken Livingstone discovered in the London elections when he stood against Frank Dobson, standing against the official Labour Party candidate is an expulsion offence.

Mr Booth said: "Rules are rules, but this is a sad day. I've never been in the Labour Party for a career, but for the cause that is the ending of the exploitation of the weak and poor by the rich and powerful.

"Others will judge whether I or Peter Mandelson is the better bearer of the Labour torch in Hartlepool."

Mr Booth also claimed that only a third of Labour councillors in the town were showing "Vote Mandelson" posters in their windows.

He said: "It confirms what we have been told, that many Labour councillors do not want Mr Mandelson as their MP."

Meanwhile, LibDem candidate Nigel Boddy's slogan for yesterday's campaigning was "four days to save A and E". Earlier this year he was involved in a campaign to save the University Hospital of Hartlepool's accident and emergency department being downgraded.

Read more about the election here.