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Kick Livingstone out of Labour over 'anti-Semitism' row - Sadiq Khan | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Ken Livingstone should be "kicked out" of the Labour Party for defending an MP suspended over "anti-Semitic" comments, Sadiq Khan has said. | |
The London mayoral contender joined a growing chorus of Labour MPs calling for Mr Livingstone's expulsion. | |
But Mr Livingstone stood by his comments and said MP Naz Shah was not an anti-Semite. | |
He warned against "confusing criticism of Israeli government policy with anti-Semitism". | |
The former London mayor was accused by Labour MP John Mann of being a "Nazi apologist" as he arrived at the BBC's Westminster studios. | |
Naz Shah was suspended by the Labour Party, pending an investigation, over comments she made on Facebook before she became an MP, including a suggestion that Israel should be moved to the United States | |
She has apologised for the comments - but it has sparked fresh claims from senior Labour figures that the party is not doing enough to tackle growing anti-Semitism in its ranks. | |
Shadow Commons leader Chris Bryant told MPs: "I'm sick and tired of people trying to explain it away and yes, I'm talking to you Ken Livingstone." | |
Asked if Mr Livingstone should be suspended from the party, shadow mental health minister Luciana Berger replied "yes". | |
Labour's mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan said: "Ken Livingstone's comments are appalling and inexcusable. There must be no place for this in our party." | |
Explaining his stance, in his BBC News Channel interview, Mr Livingstone said: "Naz is not anti-Semitic - she was completely over the top, what she said was rude, but I literally, during the 47 years I've been in the Labour Party, I've never heard anyone say anything anti-Semitic. | |
"I've heard a lot of people being critical of Israel, but if I was to denounce the South African government, you wouldn't say I was racist. | |
"And one of my worries is this confusion with anti-Semitism and criticising the Israeli government policy undermines the importance is tackling real anti-Semitism." |