WANTAGE MP Ed Vaizey has lost the party whip, and now his dog has been denied the chance to win Westminster Dog of the Year.

The annual event – organised by the Dogs Trust and Kennel Club – was due to take place tonight, but has been cancelled due to fears of protests.

The MP's cute Cavapoo (King Charles Spaniel and Poodle Cross) Pepper missed out to a pooch named Corbyn in 2018, but was shortlisted again this year.

Read again: Pepper up for Westminster Dog of the Year

The winner was due to be announced at London's Victoria Tower Gardens tonight, but organisers had to cancel.

A statement on the club's website said: "This is due to concerns about the increase in protests around Parliament; ensuring the safety of the dogs and the MPs taking part is absolute priority.

"The public have been voting for their favourite canine pairing candidate, so despite the event cancellation, the winner of the ‘pawblic’ vote will be announced in due course as the overall 2019 Westminster Dog of the Year."

The event focusses on promoting responsible dog ownership, to encourage owners to recognise their responsibility to ensure their dogs are a 'positive member of the community'.