A major row has erupted in City Hall over allegations of fights in lavatories by deeply-divided Labour Party members and plots being cooked up in city-centre pubs.

The accusations, which have severely embarrassed Council chiefs, are reported in Britain's biggest local government publication, the Local Government Chronicle, with an estimated readership of 700,000.

The publication goes out to town halls across Britain and carries articles by ministers and top politicians.

The allegations are made by its editor, Jake Arnold-Foster. His feature, in which former Council leader Councillor John Ryan is extensively quoted, praises Bradford Council for the great strides made in partnerships but refers to Coun Ryan's dramatic ousting by his rival Councillor Ian Greenwood in May.

"Then the stories of plots in the Jacobs Well pub opposite the Council, the involvement of local MPs and fights in toilets by rival Labour councillors began to fly," said Mr Arnold-Foster.

Today Councillor Greenwood called the allegations nonsense.

He added: "I do not believe plots have been hatched in the Jacobs Well and Bank pubs and I have never been informed about any fights between councillors."

But Labour sources confirmed to the Telegraph & Argus today that there had been an incident in a community centre toilet on local election night involving a councillor and a party member.

And another insider said: "There are two groups within the Labour group. A lot of people are upset. John Ryan was a good leader."

But Coun Ryan (Lab, Bowling) said: "I wouldn't dream of using tactics like this if that is what he is suggesting."

He said he had spoken to the magazine about a "positive" article on Bradford before he lost the leadership.

Mr Arnold-Foster said his article began as a report on the successful relationship between Coun Ryan and chief executive Richard Penn but he found the leader had been toppled when he arrived in Bradford.

"The story is as I reported it. There were allegations within the Labour group and they were denied. I have put the opposing side in the reply.

"The purpose was to demonstrate what can happen even in the best-run authority."

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