Don't hire Ken Livingstone, says Lord Sugar

Apprentice star Lord Sugar may be a Labour peer but today he showed his refusal to toe the party line by urging voters not to elect Ken Livingstone in next month’s London Mayoral Election.

Lord Sugar told his 1.8 million followers on Twitter not to support the official Labour candidate - defying party leader Ed Miliband and possibly breaching party rules.

"I don't care if Ed Miliband is backing Livingstone," Lord Sugar wrote. "I seriously suggest NO ONE votes for Livingstone in the Mayoral elections."

Lord Sugar, whose catchphrase is 'You're Fired!' described the contest between the incumbent Boris Johnson and Livingstone as a 'real issue'.

"Livingstone must NOT get in on 3rd May," Lord Sugar wrote.

Lord Sugar is one of Britain’s most successful businessmen and as the star of the BBC programme The Apprentice he is also one of the most well known.

Lord Sugar, who was raised in a council house in east London has previously been linked with the job of London mayor but today ruled out running for mayor tweeting,

'It's been suggested I run for Mayor. Not possible, too many commercial conflicts, no time, more to the point I would not know where to start'

A Labour source tonight said the Labour peer would not face disciplinary proceedings over the comments saying,

"There is a long history of Lord Sugar and Ken Livingstone not being the best of friends," the source said.

"Lord Sugar was not recommending people vote for any of Ken's opponents.

"He is a Labour peer but Lord Sugar's views are very much his own."