THE leader of the national Green Party has launched an investigation into the conduct of her members at a public meeting which ended when veteran Birkenhead MP Frank Field was rushed to hospital after a shock collapse.

The 72-year-old’s black-out followed a heated row with some members of the audience on March 13.

Paramedics treated the unconscious MP for around 30 minutes before he was taken by ambulance to Broadgreen Heart and Chest Hospital in Liverpool.

The meeting, at Highfield Church in Rock Ferry, was abandoned and members of the public were asked to leave.

Mr Field – who returned to the House of Commons last week to take part in a debate on the Modern Slavery Bill – told the Globe he believed the meeting, called to discuss the future of the former Rock Ferry High School and the proposed sell-off of associated fields, had been “infiltrated” by political agitators.

He said the “screaming and shouting by a small number of people” was shocking and described it as “pure political thuggery”.

Campaigners have denied such behaviour but Natalie Bennett, leader of the national Green Party, has since confirmed an investigation is ongoing.

Mr Field wrote to Ms Bennett informing her that five Green Party members had been “going way beyond the sort of behaviour which is regarded as acceptable” and noted that other members of the public found their “activities so offensive that they had been asking them to leave”.

He said that while he was unconscious, one individual tried to take photographs of him, actions which the Birkenhead MP said “greatly upset a lot of people”.

Mr Field added: “As I was unconscious, I cannot personally verify these accusations, but so many people have told me about them that I have to think they may be true.”

He said that if the behaviour was as described, it would severely damage the Green Party’s reputation for civilised behaviour.

In an emailed response, Ms Bennett said Mr Field’s “serious complaint” had been referred to the Green Party Regional Council co-chairs who will “oversee an investigation through our disciplinary procedure”.

A spokesman for Wirral Green Party said: "We welcome the input of the national Green Party. We know that these Labour Party claims are wild and unsubstantiated with no basis in fact and that this will be the finding of any investigation.

"They indicate that the Labour Party is understandably worried about the potential impact of Wirral Green Party in the the coming elections.

"The Green Surge nationally has been mirrored locally, especially following our electoral success in Birkenhead and Tranmere in 2014. Clearly, this growth is down to our policies and hard work in local communities."