Ex-Oldham Council leader Arooj Shah is set to attempt a return to the council chamber in next year's elections.

The revelation came after she announced her appointment to a senior role within the Labour Party as the chair of its National Constitutional Committee.

In this year's elections, Ms Shah lost her seat in Chadderton South Ward to Cllr Robert Barnes of the Conservative Group by a slim margin of 96 votes.

As a result, she lost her role as the leader of the council and as the leader of the Labour Group, the second to do so in two years following Sean Fielding. 

At the time, in an interview with The Oldham Times, Ms Shah criticised the campaign led by her opponents, which she described as 'personal' and a 'smear campaign'.

These opponents denied her claims.

She said: "The campaign run against me was a personal campaign. There was definitely racism and misogyny. 

"It was a smear campaign against me."

In next year's elections, all 60 seats are to be contested as opposed to the usual 20 seats.

This is due to a number of alterations to the boundaries between each ward to come into effect at the same time.

And despite the controversial circumstances in which she lost her seat last time around, Ms Shah is set to attempt a return to the council chamber when she stands in St Mary's Ward.

The revelation came after she announced her appointment as the Chair of the National Constitutional Committee, which is responsible for the discipline of all the members of the Labour Party.

A post on social media by Ms Shah said: "I'm delighted to have been elected as chair of the UK Labour National Constitutional Committee along with my friend Peter Mason as vice chair."

One follower offered congratulations to the ex-council leader, who was the first Muslim woman to lead a council in the North of England, then asked if she intended to launch a comeback in Oldham.

Ms Shah responded: "Yes I am. I am standing in St Mary's Ward."