A MUSLIM group is claiming responsibility for Andrew Dismore's defeat in the Hendon seat yesterday.

The Muslim Public Affairs Committee (MPAC) ran a campaign against the Labour MP who they accuse of being a staunch Zionist in the Hendon constituency, which he lost by 106 votes.

On its website MPAC has celebrated the result, saying: “Dismore (who backed the Iraq war and has a long record of Islamophobia) has MPACUK and the Muslims of Hendon to thank for his early retirement. We're waiting for his card and flowers...

“We were planning Andrew Dismore’s downfall for a long time and the General Election was our chance to give Dismore both barrels.”

Conservative Matthew Offord took the seat, although Mr Dismore has said he has not ruled out legal action over how the election was conducted.