A Conservative councillor who allegedly made racist comments about Sadiq Khan has been re-admitted to the Conservative Party.

Cllr Oonagh Moulton, leader of Merton Conservative Group, confirmed that Merton Cllr David Dean had been readmitted on April 10 following the conclusion of his suspension from the party in May 2016.

Dean was suspended while on the campaign trail for Zac Goldsmith, and for his own Greater London Authority seat for Merton and Wandsworth, a week before the mayoral election.

A complaint was made by a Putney resident, and a recording emerged in which Cllr Dean appears to tell a resident that, if Mr Khan became Mayor of London then “as a white man … you will be a pariah in your own town. He will treat you like dirt.”

A spokesman for the party in January said that Cllr Dean had been expelled from the party, but declined to comment on whether this was the reason.

The councillor was reported to be carrying out his role without party alignment, but is now listed as belonging to the Conservative Party again.

In February, the ruling Labour group passed an amendment to a report detailing appointments to committees, removing Cllr Dean from the planning applications committee.

He was instead given a position on the appeals committee.

Leader of Merton Conservative Group Cllr Oonagh Moulton said: "I can confirm that the suspension imposed by the Party nationally has concluded and that Cllr Dean has been readmitted to the Conservative Group in accordance with our constitution."

Conservative Party HQ was contacted several times but did not respond to requests for clarification.