A labour activist, who triggered a political storm when he ejected a pensioner from the party conference, has been refused entry to the event.

Joe Ifill, from Hove, was accused of manhandling pensioner Walter Wolfgang when the party last visited Brighton and Hove in 2005.

Mr Ifill was working as a steward when the 83-year-old Mr Wolfgang shouted "nonsense" at Foreign Secretary Jack Straw during a speech about Iraq.

But after being snubbed in his application for a pass for the third successive year, he believes his involvement in the incident is being held against him.

The former nightclub bouncer told The Argus he will never vote for the party again.

Mr Ifill, 44, said: “I’m being discriminated against.

“I applied for the pass like everyone other member of the party but they refused to grant me one.

“It quite clearly goes back to the incident in 2005." A Labour Party spokesman said: “We endeavour to ensure that any Labour Party member who wants to come to conference can, but this late in the day we can't accommodate everyone.”