The Conservative Party is reeling from the resignation of Boris Johnson's deputy amid allegations of inappropriate behaviour and financial irregularities.

Ray Lewis was forced to step down after the Mayor of London decided he could no longer offer him the "backing necessary to continue" having been misled over his role as a magistrate.

Leading Labour Party figures capitalised on the resignation, suggesting it raised questions not only for the Mayor but for Conservative leader David Cameron.

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears MP said: "People across the country will note that after just two months, the new Tory administration in London is in complete disarray.

"David Cameron has known Ray Lewis since his first day as Tory leader and Boris Johnson appointed him as Deputy Mayor days into the job.

"People will ask themselves, how have they allowed themselves to be embroiled in a mess like this?"

Her comments come after a turbulent 24 hours for London's Tories.

A spokesman for Mr Cameron said: "David fully supports Boris's decision. He has acted quickly and fairly in dealing with this unfortunate and difficult matter."

On Thursday it emerged that the deputy mayor was facing multiple claims relating to his time as a priest and as founder of an academy for young people.

They relate to alleged inappropriate behaviour with a parishioner in the late 1990s and while at the Eastside Young Leaders Academy - a youth scheme founded by Mr Lewis in 2003.

Separate claims of financial irregularity centre on money entrusted to the deputy mayor while he was a priest.

An independent inquiry was launched in City Hall into the allegations on Friday.

But Mr Lewis was forced to step down after it emerged that the Mayor had been misled over being a serving justice of the peace.

In a City Hall statement, Mr Lewis said that the "seeming duplicity" over his role as a magistrate - he has been recommended but not actually appointed - was the main reason for his resignation.

He said: "There was some talk in the press of me being or not being a magistrate.

"If you are fully paid up members of the `hair splitters' convention it will have made a difference to you whether or not I was appointed or recommended for appointment.

"I've passed all the interviews for it. I've had a letter confirming that I have been recommended for appointment to the board.

"But nonetheless it is important I do nothing to obscure this important man's (Mr Johnson's) very important vision."

But he also made comment of the wider claims made against him.

Mr Lewis said he was resigning in the face of an "avalanche" of allegations.

The "drip, drip" of allegations was "getting in the way of the very important work of this Mayor and his vision for London," the former deputy mayor said.

He added: "I cannot allow the things that I have been into, up to and around me to obscure the important business of this mayoral team.

"For this reason I must step down as Deputy Mayor for young people with immediate effect."

In a statement, Mr Johnson said he accepted Mr Lewis's resignation with "extreme reluctance."

But he added: "I cannot deny, however, that my confidence in Ray was shaken by the discovery today that he is not a fully fledged Justice of the Peace and I cannot deny that to be misled on this issue has made it harder for me to give Ray the backing necessary to continue in his role as Deputy Mayor."

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