Community Life

Since the Respect Party split into two halves last year, following bitter disputes over ideology and control of the party, there have been arguments over who should be allowed to keep the name 'Respect'.

The side that split from George Galloway, which is headed by prominent socialist activist, John Rees, has adopted the name 'The Left List' in order to take part in the forthcoming Greater London Authority elections.

"The Left List is how we will be campaigning in this election," said Lindsey German, the group's mayoral candidate.

"We have strengthened our organisation in London and we are standing in the mayoral race, the London-wide party list and in every geographical constituency," she added.

The Left List candidates include Tower Hamlets councillors Oliur Rahman and Rania Khan. the group also includes Kumar Murshid, former race equality advisor to Ken Livingstone, among its membership.

The Party's National Secretary, John Rees, said: "We are launching a new Left List logo to help identification for the campaign which will appear on the ballot paper.

"The red and green star design is both unique to us but also refers to the affinity that Respect's Left List has to the European Left Party and the highly successful Left Party in Germany."

angela.saini@bbc.co.uk