An Islamic scholar has branded Britain First “ignorant” after members of the group stormed a Sharia council in Leyton.

A video posted online by the nationalist party showed several activists, including leader and London mayoral candidate Paul Golding, entering the Islamic Sharia Council in Francis Road.

Once inside, Mr Golding claimed the centre was operating as a Sharia court, telling staff they were: “taking liberties” with British law.

Footage of the incident, which was uploaded to YouTube last Monday (April 25), has received more than 65,000 views.

Activists from the group also confronted staff at the council in 2015, claiming Islamist cleric Anjem Choudary was “known to stay at the address”.

However, Khola Hasan, one of the council’s scholars, said Britain First had misunderstood the purpose of the organisation.

She said: “England has an English legal system and we are very happy with it, we are just dealing with religious issues, not criminal law.

“[Mr Golding] thinks we are trying to take over the system and establish Sharia, but that is just rubbish.

“We were established 40 years ago, Sharia was not a dirty word then, but because of people like Anjem Choudary and al-Muhajiroun, they think we want to establish a state within a state.

“That would actually be against Islamic law, it would be considered treason.”

The council says around 95 per cent of the cases it deals with cover matrimonial issues such as counselling and Islamic divorces, which it says should be sought alongside civil proceedings.

However, scholars do also offer religious advice on matters such as fasting, organ donation and abortion.

Ms Hasan added: “London is a wonderful city because there are so many cultures, so many languages spoken and people get on so well.

“It is such a vibrant city and a huge lesson about how people can live together, but someone like Paul Golding is so ignorant he clearly knows nothing about the city he wants to become mayor of.”

The Guardian has contacted Britain First for comment.