An 82-year-old man was thrown out of the Labour conference after heckling Foreign Secretary Jack Straw over the Iraq War.

Walter Wolfgang, from south London, said stewards moved in to remove him yesterday after he shouted "nonsense" as the Foreign Secretary defended the Government's refusal to withdraw British troops from Iraq.

A second man, constituency party chairman Steve Forrest, from Erith and Thamesmead in south-east London, was also ejected after complaining at Mr Wolfgang's treatment. He said he was pushed against a wall as he was taken from the building and had his conference pass confiscated by security.

Their treatment was condemned as "very heavy-handed" by Labour MP Linda Riordan.

The Conference Arrangements Committee was asked to investigate the incident after a delegate raised concerns. It was expected to report back today.

Mr Wolfgang spoke out as Mr Straw told delegates: "We are in Iraq for one reason only - to help the elected Iraqi government build a secure, democratic and stable nation."

Mr Wolfgang, a party member of 57 years' standing, said later: "I shouted out 'nonsense'. That's all I said. Then these two toughies came round and wanted to manhandle me out."

Ms Riordan's Halifax constituency party had tabled an emergency resolution calling for phased withdrawal of British troops but it was ruled out of order.

The MP said: "The silence on Iraq at this conference is deafening, absolutely deafening."

September 29 2005