London Mayor Ken Livingstone has been welcomed back into the Labour party.

Mr Livingstone was interviewed by senior party figures this morning, and Labour's National Executive Council has decided he can be re-admitted.

This completes a stunning turnaround for Labour, after Mr Livingstone was thrown out of the party for standing as an independent in the 2000 elections for London Mayor.

He was reported to be in a happy mood as he left the interview with officials from the NEC today.

Labour party members in London will now be polled to decide whether Mr Livingstone should become Labour candidate in this year's mayoral elections.

Nicky Gavron, who stepped aside as the official party candidate last month for Mr Livingstone, welcomed the decision.

"I now hope that Ken can be quickly adopted as Labour's official candidate and that we can move forward with a united and strengthened campaign."

However, Mr Livingstone's Tory and Liberal Democrat rivals denounced the move.

Conservative candidate Steve Norris said it was a "total stitch up".

"This begs the question as to what price is he paying and what polices he is jettisoning in exchange for his Party membership card," said Mr Norris.