This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/apr/28/labour-mps-call-for-ken-livingstone-to-be-suspended-after-hitler-remarks

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Labour MPs call for Ken Livingstone to be suspended after Hitler remarks Labour MPs call for Ken Livingstone to be suspended after Hitler remarks
(35 minutes later)
Labour’s woes over antisemitism intensified on Thursday, as the party faced calls to suspend former London mayor Ken Livingstone as well as Bradford MP Naz Shah. Labour is facing numerous calls to suspend former London mayor Ken Livingstone, after he was accused of antisemitism while trying to defend Bradford MP Naz Shah.
Sadiq Khan, Labour’s London mayoral candidate, made it clear he thought Livingstone should no longer be a member of the party and two Labour MPs, Jess Phillips and John Woodcock, called for him to be suspended. A string of MPs, including Sadiq Khan, Labour’s London mayoral candidate, called for him to be expelled or investigated, but Livingstone is standing his ground and refusing to apologise.
The new row broke out after Livingstone tried to defend Shah, who apologised and was suspended for promoting a Facebook post in 2014 suggesting Israelis should be moved to the US and other remarks. The row broke out after Livingstone appeared on BBC London to claim Shah had said nothing that amounted to antisemitism, although her remarks were “over the top”. The Bradford MP has already apologised fully and been suspended for promoting a Facebook post in 2014 suggesting Israelis should be deported and talking about “the Jews rallying” to support a poll about the Israel-Palestine conflict.
However, after the interview on BBC London, Livingstone ended up being accused of antisemitism himself. During the interview, Livingstone said Hitler had supported Zionism “before he went mad and ended up killing 6 million Jews” and claimed there was a “well-orchestrated campaign by the Israel lobby to smear anybody who criticises Israeli policy as antisemitic”.
The veteran Labour politician said Hitler had supported Zionism “before he went mad and ended up killing 6 million Jews” and claimed there was a “well-orchestrated campaign by the Israel lobby to smear anybody who criticises Israel policy as antisemitic”. The veteran Labour politician also said accusations of antisemitism were part of a campaign against the party leader, Jeremy Corbyn.
Livingstone also said accusations of antisemitism were part of a campaign against the party leader, Jeremy Corbyn.
“Frankly, there’s been an attempt to smear Jeremy Corbyn and his associates as antisemitic from the moment he became leader. The simple fact is we have the right to criticise what is one of the most brutal regimes going in the way it treats the Palestinians,” he said.“Frankly, there’s been an attempt to smear Jeremy Corbyn and his associates as antisemitic from the moment he became leader. The simple fact is we have the right to criticise what is one of the most brutal regimes going in the way it treats the Palestinians,” he said.
Khan said the comments were “appalling and inexcusable”, adding that there must be no place for this in the party. Challenged about his comments on BBC News, Livingstone said people should not confuse criticising the government of Israel with being antisemitic. He said you would not find anyone in the Labour party saying anything antisemitic without being expelled recently.
Woodcock said Livingstone was chair of Labour’ international policy commission, adding “this cannot go on”. Livingstone must be “actively seeking suspension and notoriety” with these comments, he added. He later had a confrontation at the studios with Labour MP John Mann, the chair of the all-party parliamentary group on antisemitism, who was said to have called him “disgusting Nazi apologist” and “a fucking disgrace”.
Watch this. Extraordinary. John Mann MP: You're a disgusting Nazi apologist, Livingstone'. pic.twitter.com/1wlbA1BmND
Labour has not responded formally to calls for Livingstone’s suspension, but Khan made it clear on Thursday that he thought the politician should no longer be a member of the party, saying the comments were “appalling and inexcusable”.
Labour MPs Jess Phillips, Wes Streeting, Tristram Hunt, Stella Creasy, Liz Kendall, Conor McGinn, Luciana Berger, Gavin Shuker, Dan Jarvis, Alison McGovern and John Woodcock were also among those calling for him to be suspended.
Woodcock, a former chair of the Labour Friends of Israel, said Livingstone was chair of Labour’ international policy commission, adding “this cannot go on”. Livingstone must be “actively seeking suspension and notoriety” with these comments, he added.
Chris Bryant then became the first shadow cabinet minister to criticise Livingstone, telling the House of Commons he was sick and tired of people trying to explain away antisemitism, adding: “Yes I’m talking to you Ken Livingstone.”
The rows over Shah and now Livingstone have overshadowed the last few days, but there are also wider claims that the party has failed to get a grip on antisemitism among some of its members.The rows over Shah and now Livingstone have overshadowed the last few days, but there are also wider claims that the party has failed to get a grip on antisemitism among some of its members.
Lord Levy, the former fundraiser for Tony Blair, and Lady Neuberger, a crossbench peer and rabbi, said the comments highlighted a wider problem with antisemitism within some elements of the left.Lord Levy, the former fundraiser for Tony Blair, and Lady Neuberger, a crossbench peer and rabbi, said the comments highlighted a wider problem with antisemitism within some elements of the left.
Levy said antisemitism was an issue across political divides but appeared more prominent in his own party.Levy said antisemitism was an issue across political divides but appeared more prominent in his own party.
He told BBC’s Newsnight that the case of Shah left him “scratching his head with despair as to how people like this can enter our parliament with such a lack of knowledge, discretion and sensitivity”.He told BBC’s Newsnight that the case of Shah left him “scratching his head with despair as to how people like this can enter our parliament with such a lack of knowledge, discretion and sensitivity”.
Neuberger claimed the issue in Labour was “attached to Jeremy Corbyn becoming leader”, and “an issue within the hard left”. Neuberger claimed the issue in Labour was attached to Jeremy Corbyn becoming leader and “an issue within the hard left”.
David Baddiel, a Jewish comedian and author, made similar accusations on the Today programme, saying there was a particular problem with antisemitism on the left.David Baddiel, a Jewish comedian and author, made similar accusations on the Today programme, saying there was a particular problem with antisemitism on the left.
He said: “The left portrays itself as a champion of the oppressed. But there is such a big hangover from them that the Jews are not that, that they are rich and powerful and controlling and therefore that they do not fit into the category of the oppressed, particularly in their version of Israel, which is the oppressor. And therefore, the left does not extend to Jews the same protections as to other minorities.”He said: “The left portrays itself as a champion of the oppressed. But there is such a big hangover from them that the Jews are not that, that they are rich and powerful and controlling and therefore that they do not fit into the category of the oppressed, particularly in their version of Israel, which is the oppressor. And therefore, the left does not extend to Jews the same protections as to other minorities.”
He said Shah’s post was not as toxic as many things on Twitter and was “primarily meant to be a fairly standard bit of anti-Israelness … that tipped over into antisemitism”.He said Shah’s post was not as toxic as many things on Twitter and was “primarily meant to be a fairly standard bit of anti-Israelness … that tipped over into antisemitism”.