A SUSPENDED Labour councillor has pleaded not guilty to a charge of encouraging violent disorder while addressing a crowd during an anti-racism demonstration in east London.

Ricky Jones, 57, allegedly committed the offence during a speech to a gathering, organised in response to the nationwide far-right disorder, in Hoe Street, Walthamstow, on August 7.

A video emerged after the protest in which he appeared to call for far-right protesters’ throats to be “cut” during the demonstration.