THE former chairman of Cleveland Police Authority - who is at the centre of a mystery criminal investigation - has also been suspended from the Labour Party.

Dave McLuckie resigned from the force's governing body on Wednesday after it emerged he was under investigated.

He told today how the Labour Party had withdrawn the whip from him as a Redcar & Cleveland councillor, pending the outcome of the probe.

Speculation had been mounting that the investigation, which is being carried out by Warwickshire Police, is related to Cleveland Police Authority awarding a heating maintenance contract to a company with links to Mr McLuckie.

However, he insists he had no part in any contract negotiations or the bidding process.

None of the police forces involved in the case will comment.

Mr McLuckie said he had become the subject of a "character assasination" from anonymous sources who were out to destroy his reputation.

"No-one should be under doubt that already the consequences of this issue have been serious for me," he said in a statement this afternoon.

"As well as finding myself effectively forced out of a job I loved doing on behalf of the people of Cleveland, I have also been informed that the party which I love and to which I have been committed for so long is withdrawing the whip from me in my role as a Redcar and Cleveland councillor pending the outcome of the investigations."

He added: "Whilst my accusers remain in the shadows I find myself the subject of what amounts to character assassination by innuendo and rumour.

"The media is being fed a stream of "information" from anonymous "sources" clearly designed to impugn my integrity and destroy my reputation.

"I would simply ask the public to ask themselves what are the motivations of those who are briefing the media, why those making these allegations are still unknown, why details of the allegations are still unknown and why I am still denied an opportunity to respond to them."

A Labour North spokesman said: "Councillor David McLuckie has been placed on administrative suspension by the Labour Party pending the outcome of the police investigation.

"This means that Cllr McLuckie is unable to hold any office within or represent the Labour Party or the Labour Group on Redcar & Cleveland Council during his suspension. He remains a Councillor."