Members of the British Labour Party in the north are to run candidates in next month's assembly election in an act of defiance against the party's London headquarters.
The Northern Ireland Labour Representation Committee is fielding candidates in eight of the region's 18 constituencies after becoming frustrated over a long-standing embargo on Labour contesting elections in the north.
The regional Labour Party's membership has grown four-fold since 2012 and now stands at 1,200 across 12 branches. Previously the Labour flag in the north was carried by the affiliated but separate Northern Ireland Labour Party. Since 2003, British Labour has allowed membership in the north but has not contested elections.
The party's national executive committee is conducting a review of its policy on not standing candidates and activists in the north are hopeful a positive outcome will enable them to contest the 2019 local government elections.
However, for some members the review is taking too long, so they have decided to defy the party's HQ and fight next month's Stormont election. The constitution of the Labour Representation Committee has a clause which says it will disband once British Labour lifts its ban.
The group's leader is Kathryn Johnston, the wife of late Belfast Telegraph political editor Liam Clarke.
The secretary of the Labour Party in Northern Ireland Boyd Black said he was not involved in the new venture but supported their efforts.
Meanwhile, a separate party calling itself Labour Alternative is running candidates in three constituencies. The party's East Belfast candidate Courtney Robinson (18) is the youngest person contesting next month's election.
