Fury at mayor's drag queen ban

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Staff at the White Swan claim Lutfur Rahman, an ally of Ken Livingstone, is "making a mockery" of diversity.

Tower Hamlets council is threatening to classify the pub as a sex establishment and use laws regulating lap-dancing clubs to ban the Wednesday night comic contests, which have run for 26 years.

Michael Barrymore came out at one of the shows in 1995 and fans include Graham Norton and Sir Ian McKellen.

Barry Kirk, 59, the pub's joint-owner, said: "Wednesday is our only busy week night. If they kill our Wednesday nights, we'll be threatened with closure."

A petition to save the night has attracted 800 signatures.

Manager Liam Bushell said: "I've worked here for 26 years, it's part of my life. We've never had a complaint."

Daryl Stafford, a DJ at the pub, said the shows were nothing like lap dancing and added: "This is discriminatory and it makes my blood boil. You have to ask why they would want to stop something which is perfectly harmless. There's nothing sexual about it."

Mr Stafford invited members of the council to see the show. He said: "If they want to have a really good laugh at a funny show, they'd be welcome. They'd need to leave their prejudices at the door though."

Tower Hamlets council is controlled by allies of independent mayor Lutfur Rahman, who was ousted from the Labour Party because of his links to the hardline Islamic Forum of Europe.

Mr Stafford said he tried to ask Ken Livingstone his views but was fobbed off. He said: "He just said 'I'm old fashioned and don't like strip joints.' But this isn't a strip joint. Ken tries to be big on the gay scene but he chose the people from the council over us."

A council spokesman said: "No decision has been made in relation to which premises would be deemed to be sex establishments. Mayor Rahman is opposed to any type of discrimination." A spokesman for Ken Livingstone said: "This is a long-standing and popular club and I hope it will be granted an exemption to remain open."