An investigation into Enfield Labour Group is taking place but meetings have not been suspended, the Labour Party has confirmed.

Online news website The Skwawkbox recently reported that Enfield Labour councillors had been barred from meeting without the “express permission” of the Labour Party’s legal and governance team while the investigation takes place.

But the Labour Party denied that group meetings had been “suspended”.

Labour’s legal and governance team had deemed it appropriate that the Group did not meet in order to allow for a period of reflection and to improve relationships while the investigation rumbles on.

Enfield’s Labour Group met on Monday, March 11 to discuss urgent business and were given guidance and support by London Labour’s regional director.

Labour’s governing body, the National Executive Committee, is currently investigating a number of separate complaints in relation to the local elections that took place in May last year.

These include allegations of “irregularities” in the candidate selection process that ultimately determined which applicants were suitable to stand for election as councillors.

Council leader Cllr Nesil Caliskan said she was aware of two social media outlets that had claimed the Labour Group had been suspended.

Cllr Caliskan said: “They have probably been fuelled by a handful of people who are working against the successes of Enfield Council.

“Enfield’s Labour Group had scheduled meetings on March 11 and the next one on April 1. The meeting on March 11 went ahead and the meeting of April 1 will go ahead.

“I asked for the Labour Party regional director to be present at our Monday (March 11) meeting because in recent weeks a number of our BME (black and minority ethnic) councillors, including myself, have been concerned about the intimidatory behaviour towards us.

“In addition, some councillors have raised concerns about the aggressive behaviour of those who attend our Labour Group meetings who are not councillors.

“I can confirm we currently have a new acting chair of the Labour Group.”