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Ken Livingstone suspended by Labour Party after 'Hitler supported Zionism' comments Ken Livingstone suspended by Labour Party after 'Hitler supported Zionism' comments
(35 minutes later)
Ken Livingstone has been suspended by the Labour Party over comments in which he suggested Hitler supported Zionism.Ken Livingstone has been suspended by the Labour Party over comments in which he suggested Hitler supported Zionism.
The move follows an extraordinary morning for Labour, with a series of party figures calling for the former Mayor of London's suspension - before John Mann MP launched a remarkable verbal attack on him as he entered a TV studio.
A spokesperson for the party: "Ken Livingstone has been suspended by the Labour Party, pending an investigation, for bringing the party into disrepute.
"The Chief Whip has summoned John Mann MP to discuss his conduct."
Mr Livingstone made the offending remarks whiel attempting to defend embattled MP Naz Shah, who had herself been suspended after sharing a post on Facebook which endorsed a plan to relocate Israel to North America.
“There’s been a very well-orchestrated campaign by the Israel lobby to smear anybody who criticises Israeli policy as anti-Semitic. I had to put up with 35 years of this,” Mr Livingstone told BBC London.
“Her remarks were over the top but she’s not anti-Semitic. I’ve been in the Labour party for 47 years; I’ve never heard anyone say anything anti-Semitic. 
“I’ve heard a lot of criticism of the state of Israel and its abuse of Palestinians but I’ve never heard anyone say anything anti-Semitic.”
He later said: “Let’s remember when Hitler won his election in 1932, his policy then was that Jews should be moved to Israel. He was supporting Zionism – this before he went mad and ended up killing six million Jews."
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