Labour MP Ivan Lewis has been suspended from the party while sexual harassment allegations against him are investigated.

The Bury South MP, who is a former minister, was accused of touching a 19-year-old woman’s leg and inviting her back to his house at a party event in 2010, in a Buzzfeed News investigation.

A party spokeswoman said: “The Labour Party takes all allegations of sexual harassment extremely seriously. Ivan Lewis is currently suspended from the Labour Party pending an investigation.”

Lewis had apologised for behaviour in the past that had made women feel “uncomfortable”.

He has denied “non consensual sexual comments or sexual advances to women”.

Last week, The Manchester Evening News reported another woman had made a formal complaint to the party about Lewis’ inappropriate touching of her.

Lewis is the second Labour MP to be suspended from the party in recent weeks. Jared O’Mara, who unseated Nick Clegg in Sheffield Hallam, was suspended in October after he was revealed to have posted homophobic and sexist comments online.

Lewis stood down last week from key role in tackling homelessness in Manchester after the allegations emerged.

“In view of recent press stories I feel it is right that for the time being I step down from my role as the Greater Manchester Mayors joint lead for Rough Sleeping and Homelessness,” Lewis said at the time.

“Nothing should be allowed to distract from the vital work which is necessary to deliver Andy Burnham’s excellent commitments on these vital issues.”