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Labour antisemitism crisis: party deals with fallout of Livingstone suspension – live Labour antisemitism crisis: party deals with fallout of Livingstone suspension – live
(35 minutes later)
1.22pm BST
13:22
Jeremy Corbyn is not feeling particularly talkative this morning.
Jeremy Corbyn has no comment when asked what he intends to do about accusations of anti-Semitism in the Labour Party https://t.co/guqNXzPTpt
1.22pm BST
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The Guardian’s political editor Anushka Asthana was on the campaign trail with Jeremy Corbyn in Grimsby and Hull as the chaos unfolded yesterday afternoon. Here’s the video of the day, which started with fans clamouring for selfies and ends as Corbyn suspends Livingstone saying he will not tolerate antisemitism.
1.11pm BST
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Livngstone - I made Hitler link to Zionism 30 years ago
Ken Livingstone has told Sky News he would tell the Labour inquiry that he has been making the connection between Adolf Hitler and Zionism for 30 years, since he first read a book on the link.
Livingstone, who earlier said he would not make any comment until tomorrow but has since spoken to both the Evening Standard and now Sky News, repeated his claim that it was accurate to say Hitler had been a Zionist.
He told Sky News’ political correspondent Tamara Cohen, in an interview that has not been broadcast, that most MPs were not aware of the history because “they don’t teach it in Israeli schools”.
EXC Interview with Ken Livingstone online soon: says party inquiry has to let him back in bcos he first made his Hitler claims 30 years ago
EXC Livingstone: 'I suspect most pro-Israel MPs have no idea about the history. They don't teach 1930s Zionist policy in Israeli schools'
12.43pm BST12.43pm BST
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Ben QuinnBen Quinn
LBC has said that Ken Livingstone is not due to be presenting his usual slot on Saturday, telling the Guardian that is down to Ofcom broadcasting rules in place fore the duration of the European referendum. LBC has said that Ken Livingstone is not due to be presenting his usual slot on Saturday, telling the Guardian that is down to Ofcom broadcasting rules in place for the duration of the European referendum.
Krishnan Guru-Murthy, the Channel 4 News presenter, has questioned whether Ken Livingstone should continued to be paid to act as a presenter by national talk radio station LBC following the comments which have led to his suspension by the Labour Party.Krishnan Guru-Murthy, the Channel 4 News presenter, has questioned whether Ken Livingstone should continued to be paid to act as a presenter by national talk radio station LBC following the comments which have led to his suspension by the Labour Party.
Guru-Murthy’s challenge to LBC came as the former London mayor said he would limit his comments on the furore surrounding his interventions in Labour’s antisemitism row, telling reporters outside his London home today that they would have to “tune in” to him on the radio station on Saturday.Guru-Murthy’s challenge to LBC came as the former London mayor said he would limit his comments on the furore surrounding his interventions in Labour’s antisemitism row, telling reporters outside his London home today that they would have to “tune in” to him on the radio station on Saturday.
Livingstone says no more on Hitler until his radio show. Is LBC entirely comfortable paying him as a presenter after what he said yesterday?Livingstone says no more on Hitler until his radio show. Is LBC entirely comfortable paying him as a presenter after what he said yesterday?
However, on Saturday, the presenting place on the show is being filled instead by Michael Crick, a Channel 4 News journalist who happens to have been among the members of the press closely questioning Livingstone after he was surrounded by reporters on Thursday.However, on Saturday, the presenting place on the show is being filled instead by Michael Crick, a Channel 4 News journalist who happens to have been among the members of the press closely questioning Livingstone after he was surrounded by reporters on Thursday.
Crick will present alongside David Mellor, the former Tory MP and minister, although it remains a possibility that Livingstone would appear on the show as a guest.Crick will present alongside David Mellor, the former Tory MP and minister, although it remains a possibility that Livingstone would appear on the show as a guest.
Guru-Murthy agreed that it was a “good point” when others on Twitter pointed out to him that LBC had given a show to the controversial newspaper columnist Katie Hopkin.Guru-Murthy agreed that it was a “good point” when others on Twitter pointed out to him that LBC had given a show to the controversial newspaper columnist Katie Hopkin.
When Hopkins appeared as a guest presenter on the station a year ago she found herself under fire from listeners over a Sun column in which she compared migrants to “cockroaches”.When Hopkins appeared as a guest presenter on the station a year ago she found herself under fire from listeners over a Sun column in which she compared migrants to “cockroaches”.
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at 12.46pm BST at 1.01pm BST
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This is the front page story of the Western Mail, which suggests Jeremy Corbyn has cancelled campaigning in Wales after advice from Labour Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones, though there is some dispute as to whether Corbyn is merely rescheduling his visit rather than being told to stay away altogether.This is the front page story of the Western Mail, which suggests Jeremy Corbyn has cancelled campaigning in Wales after advice from Labour Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones, though there is some dispute as to whether Corbyn is merely rescheduling his visit rather than being told to stay away altogether.
Friday's Western Mail front page:Carwyn bars Corbyn#tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/JOUgUSz9zCFriday's Western Mail front page:Carwyn bars Corbyn#tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/JOUgUSz9zC
Corbyn was due to visit Bridgend College in Pencoed, but the Western Mail report that Jones’ team did not want the distraction of recent days’ events to overshadow Welsh Labour campaigning in the Welsh Assembly elections.Corbyn was due to visit Bridgend College in Pencoed, but the Western Mail report that Jones’ team did not want the distraction of recent days’ events to overshadow Welsh Labour campaigning in the Welsh Assembly elections.
Jones called for Ken Livingstone to be expelled from the Labour Party yesterday, saying the former London mayor knew his comments would be damaging so close to the election.Jones called for Ken Livingstone to be expelled from the Labour Party yesterday, saying the former London mayor knew his comments would be damaging so close to the election.
He told BBC Wales: “He knew exactly what he was doing he knew how harmful it would be with an election coming next week in different parts of the UK - he has to pay the price.”He told BBC Wales: “He knew exactly what he was doing he knew how harmful it would be with an election coming next week in different parts of the UK - he has to pay the price.”
We’ll try and get more on exactly what’s happening with this.We’ll try and get more on exactly what’s happening with this.
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Labour MP Jess Phillips has written on the Guardian’s Comment is Free about why Labout must permanently expel Livingstone.Labour MP Jess Phillips has written on the Guardian’s Comment is Free about why Labout must permanently expel Livingstone.
Ken Livingstone appears incapable of contrition. That is why he must be thrown out of the Labour party. He is so certain he is right about everything, he won’t come close to change. He has got away with it again and again, bolstering his confidence each time.Ken Livingstone appears incapable of contrition. That is why he must be thrown out of the Labour party. He is so certain he is right about everything, he won’t come close to change. He has got away with it again and again, bolstering his confidence each time.
He has a well-worn flak jacket leading him to be a repeat offender, leaving almost no one unharmed by his shrapnel. Jewish people, decent members of the Labour party, the mentally ill, mild-mannered people from south London all bear the wounds.He has a well-worn flak jacket leading him to be a repeat offender, leaving almost no one unharmed by his shrapnel. Jewish people, decent members of the Labour party, the mentally ill, mild-mannered people from south London all bear the wounds.
If and when he has made apologies, they are often delivered too late and are mealy-mouthed, and the worst of all apologies is the one that takes no responsibility for their actions.If and when he has made apologies, they are often delivered too late and are mealy-mouthed, and the worst of all apologies is the one that takes no responsibility for their actions.
Here’s the full piece:Here’s the full piece:
Related: Ken Livingstone must be thrown out of Labour. He’s had his last second chance | Jess PhillipsRelated: Ken Livingstone must be thrown out of Labour. He’s had his last second chance | Jess Phillips
11.51am BST11.51am BST
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Livingstone - Everything I said is trueLivingstone - Everything I said is true
The Evening Standard’s Joe Murphy has spoken briefly to Ken Livingstone this morning, who says he will stand by his comments.The Evening Standard’s Joe Murphy has spoken briefly to Ken Livingstone this morning, who says he will stand by his comments.
Everything I said yesterday was true and I will be presenting the academic book about that to the Labour Party inquiry.Everything I said yesterday was true and I will be presenting the academic book about that to the Labour Party inquiry.
ES reports that the book Livingstone may be referring is writings by the American Marxist historian Lenni Brenner, who wrote the 2002 book 51 Documents: Zionist Collaboration with the Nazis.ES reports that the book Livingstone may be referring is writings by the American Marxist historian Lenni Brenner, who wrote the 2002 book 51 Documents: Zionist Collaboration with the Nazis.
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While Farage has been speaking, Ken Livingstone is still insisting that he will not speak until his LBC show, telling reporters to phone in to the show if they want to ask him questions. There are some reports now however, that Livingstone is not due to present the show tomorrow because of Ofcom rules about partisanship close to elections. We’re trying to get confirmation.While Farage has been speaking, Ken Livingstone is still insisting that he will not speak until his LBC show, telling reporters to phone in to the show if they want to ask him questions. There are some reports now however, that Livingstone is not due to present the show tomorrow because of Ofcom rules about partisanship close to elections. We’re trying to get confirmation.
Ken Livingstone takes Coco for a walk. No comment on his suspension, but said he'd be tending to his newts today pic.twitter.com/yKvNTf8cqsKen Livingstone takes Coco for a walk. No comment on his suspension, but said he'd be tending to his newts today pic.twitter.com/yKvNTf8cqs
Asked how he would be spending his day, Livingstone said:Asked how he would be spending his day, Livingstone said:
Taking Coco for a walk, then I’m coming back to do the washing, then I’m moving the newts and pond weed from my old to my new pond.Taking Coco for a walk, then I’m coming back to do the washing, then I’m moving the newts and pond weed from my old to my new pond.
I need to move the newts and the old pond is past its sell-by date.I need to move the newts and the old pond is past its sell-by date.
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Though the speech was focussed on Europe and security, as well as deep dig at the strategy of his rivals, Farage didn’t miss the opportunity to take aim at Labour’s problems.Though the speech was focussed on Europe and security, as well as deep dig at the strategy of his rivals, Farage didn’t miss the opportunity to take aim at Labour’s problems.
"No longer are we the party accused of harbouring extremists," Farage says with a wry smile. pic.twitter.com/nUJfoJFYxz"No longer are we the party accused of harbouring extremists," Farage says with a wry smile. pic.twitter.com/nUJfoJFYxz
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Farage says that German chancellor Angela Merkel’s decision to let in refugees last summer was “one of the worst decisions by a western leader since 1945”Farage says that German chancellor Angela Merkel’s decision to let in refugees last summer was “one of the worst decisions by a western leader since 1945”
He says the UK could risk being in a “Turkish-dominated Europe” because of ongoing negotiations with the country regarding potential accession.He says the UK could risk being in a “Turkish-dominated Europe” because of ongoing negotiations with the country regarding potential accession.
Farage has finished speaking now.Farage has finished speaking now.
'@Nigel_Farage "We have to make people understand that this is about taking back control of our borders, our laws and our country"'@Nigel_Farage "We have to make people understand that this is about taking back control of our borders, our laws and our country"
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Ukip will keep speaking out, even if they are not part of the Vote Leave campaign, he says.Ukip will keep speaking out, even if they are not part of the Vote Leave campaign, he says.
For background, Vote Leave won the electoral commission designation to be the lead campaign, which comes with significant extra spending limits and rights, over the Leave.EU-backed group Grassroots Out, supported by Farage and most of Ukip.For background, Vote Leave won the electoral commission designation to be the lead campaign, which comes with significant extra spending limits and rights, over the Leave.EU-backed group Grassroots Out, supported by Farage and most of Ukip.
Farage says some on the Leave campaign are not making the immigration case for Brexit because many of them come from “rich and privileged backgrounds who rarely ever dare stray outside the M25”.Farage says some on the Leave campaign are not making the immigration case for Brexit because many of them come from “rich and privileged backgrounds who rarely ever dare stray outside the M25”.
This is a strange charge for Farage to level, as Huffington Post’s Owen Bennett points out.This is a strange charge for Farage to level, as Huffington Post’s Owen Bennett points out.
Privately educated former city trader @Nigel_Farage attacking ppl from 'privileged and wealthy backgrounds'. Well I suppose he knows them.Privately educated former city trader @Nigel_Farage attacking ppl from 'privileged and wealthy backgrounds'. Well I suppose he knows them.
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Vote Leave rejecting my help - FarageVote Leave rejecting my help - Farage
The Leave campaign has to “get into the other half of the pitch”, Farage says. Migration is the key argument to make he says, and the security and terror threat.The Leave campaign has to “get into the other half of the pitch”, Farage says. Migration is the key argument to make he says, and the security and terror threat.
Vote Leave, the official designated campaign, are not making that case, he says.Vote Leave, the official designated campaign, are not making that case, he says.
They don’t appear to have the credible voices to make those arguments. IThey don’t appear to have the credible voices to make those arguments. I
If you’ve been part of the cabinet that has seen net migration running at record levels, you’re not best placed to make those arguments.If you’ve been part of the cabinet that has seen net migration running at record levels, you’re not best placed to make those arguments.
I tried hard over the course of the weekends to say, we must let bygones be bygones, we want Ukip to work with you.I tried hard over the course of the weekends to say, we must let bygones be bygones, we want Ukip to work with you.
I’m sorry to say that every time I try to work with them I am rebuffed and rejected.I’m sorry to say that every time I try to work with them I am rebuffed and rejected.
10.56am BST
10:56
Farage says the UK will be better off outside the single market, saying food, cars will all be cheaper.
Even if there is no deal with the EU, he says, “the worst case scenario” the total amount of tariffs only equals two-thirds of the UK contribution to the EU.
The Leave campaign has to be “much more assertive in making the economic case”, he says.
10.53am BST
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EU asylum plan will let in extremists - Farage
Nigel Farage, the UKIP leader is giving a keynote speech for the Leave campaign today at the Emmanuel Centre in London.
He says Barack Obama would not have used the word ‘queue’ to say Britain would be at the back of the queue for trade negotiations because Americans say line. He says he was saying the words David Cameron had asked him to say.
He says that the Leave campaign do have experts backing them, naming “Professor Patrick Minford [a former Thatcher advisor] and others.”
10.44am BST
10:44
Wes Streeting, the Labour MP who was one of the first to call for Livingstone to be sacked from the party, spoke to BBC Newsnight.
He called the ex-mayor “a political arsonist who is pouring petrol on a very serious issue.”
"A political arsonist" - @wesstreeting's perfect description of Ken Livingstone pic.twitter.com/bKGZaz89Sw
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10:29
The Jewish Labour movement, an organisation officially affiliated with the party, have tweeted a statement comparing Livingstone’s actions to Bradford MP Naz Shah’s. The group had previously praised her apology, saying she was a brave politician who was on a journey.
Following on from yesterday we are calling for Ken Livingstone to be swiftly and permanently expelled from Labour. No more second chances.
We believe that Naz Shah is authentic in her apology. Ken Livingstone denies wrongdoing. This is not a one off. He can no longer be excused.
This was their earlier statement on Shah.
Welcome statement from Jewish Labour Movement (via @juliamacfarlane). Agree with this https://t.co/N6BzAibEwe pic.twitter.com/vFS69JTxSc
10.13am BST
10:13
Lord Sugar, the former Labour peer and party donor, has told BBC 5 live Breakfast Ken Livingstone was “obsessed” with “Hitler, concentration camps and Jews”.
Lord Sugar: Livingstone's comments "stupid and ignorant"https://t.co/L52LQ9LJq6 pic.twitter.com/mTHFeUWqNB
“Words fail that the person who once had a senior position as mayor of London and a member of the party could be so stupid and ignorant. I think he’s lost the plot,” he said.
He knew it was going to be provocative. One can only think that he purposefully did it. A sensible, intelligent person doesn’t speak like that.
Sugar, who left Labour last year, said he had no faith that the party would effectively tackle the problem. “They’re all peas in the same pod and they’ll wait for it to blow over and find some way of him slipping back into the Labour fold,” he said.
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Ken Livingstone, who said yesterday he wouldn’t be giving any more broadcast interviews, has been out walking his dog in Cricklewood, north London. And not talking to the press.
Anyone interested in what he had to say would have to “tune in” to him on LBC on Saturday, he told reporters, according to PA.
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10:05
George Galloway, a close friend of Livingstone, has been on Sky News, where he said the former mayor had “said absolutely nothing wrong. Everything he said was the truth. Historical fact.”
George Galloway calls Labour anti-Semitism row "an entirely synthetic crisis. Ken Livingstone said nothing wrong" https://t.co/k2ezZlJUg3
10.02am BST
10:02
Momentum chair - Time for Livingstone to 'move on' but he should not be sacked
Jon Lansman, the left-wing Labour activist who ran Corbyn’s leadership campaign and is now chair of Momentum, has been on the Victoria Derbyshire programme in the last half an hour. On Twitter yesterday, he called for Livingstone to retire from political life.
He spoke to Joanna Gosling, who asked if Livingstone should be expelled permanently.
I didn’t call for him to be suspended, I called for him to retire. The comments were very ill-judged, intemperate, wrong and offensive.
The trouble is that Ken hasn’t really got a role any more but he’s still someone who is invited in to TV studios. He said some things that were very ill-judged and he needs to recognise it’s time for him to move on.
Lansman said the comments by John Mann, that Livingstone was a “Nazi apologist” were “as silly as anything Ken said”. But he said he took great issue with the idea that Hitler had been a Zionist “before he went mad” as Ken put it.
Hitler was always deeply anti-semitic, and so I don’t agree with Ken. I don’t think it’s a matter of Hitler going mad. But we also need to recognise that Ken is not an anti-semite or not a Nazi apologist. He did many good things for London.
Lansman says that Livingstone should not be sacked from the Labour party but should “move on” from the National Executive Committee.
I don’t think Labour has a particular problem with antisemitism. I think society has a problem with anti-semitism. I think there are people with certain interests stoking this row.
There are people at Conservative head office who have been trawling Twitter feeds and Facebook pages looking for evidence, stored until a week before the local elections.
We have very few cases of real anti-semitism, people are exhibiting prejudices. Prejudices are in all of us. We need to acknowledge there is antisemitism in society, in all political parties including the Labour party.
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Tom Watson, Labour’s deputy leader who avoided much of the fray on Thursday, spoke to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme earlier. Corbyn was at a Q&A and a memorial service in Grimsby as calls for Livingstone’s suspension grew.
On Corbyn’s first response to Livingstone’s comments:
I just ask people to take a look at what [Corbyn] actually did yesterday, within hours of Ken Livingstone making those comments.
It wasn’t easy for Jeremy Corbyn yesterday. Ken Livingstone is a 40-year ally of Jeremy and what he did was act swiftly.
In fact, I don’t think he could have moved any quicker to deal with Ken Livingstone.”
On reports that Corbyn’s team had wanted Mann suspended as well:
What I do know is that when issues like this come up in a party, everyone gives leaders advice, very often contradictory advice and ultimately it’s leaders that make the call.
Asked about Corbyn’s meetings with members of Hamas when he was a backbench MP:
When you lead a political party, sometimes you need to take political risks and that might be you talk to people who hold contradictory or offensive views in the pursuit of peace and Jeremy is always going to do that, but if we are in a situation where that creates a perceived culture, or a culture that people are not welcome in the party, then we need to deal with it.
On Jewish Labour party members:
Jews have always played an important role in the Labour party, leading in important positions because of the shared values that we have.
9.29am BST
09:29
Ken Livingstone's suspension from the Labour party
Good morning, we’re following the aftermath of Labour’s chaotic day which resulted in the suspension of former London mayor Ken Livingstone for a day which began with him telling broadcasters Hitler had been a Zionist, and ended with a slanging match between him and MP John Mann, and the ex-mayor hiding in a disabled toilet, with the waiting press outside.
Livingstone had original been on BBC London to defend Bradford West MP Naz Shah, who has suspended on Wednesday for antisemitic Facebook posts, for which she apologised.
Mann, who called Livingstone a “disgrace” as he confronted him outside the Millbank broadcast studios, was called to a meeting with chief whip Rosie Winterton and told his behaviour was unacceptable. A petition, which has more than 5,800 supporters, is calling for the Bassetlaw MP to also be suspended for bringing the party into disrepute.
On Question Time last night, shadow home secretary Andy Burnham said the party had to handle these situations better.
These allegations, when they are surfacing, are not being dealt with properly and quickly enough. They need to be dealt with much more speedily in the future.
If I thought for one second that I was a member of an antisemitic party I would cut up my membership card, right here, right now. I don’t believe that is the case.
His predecessor as shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, also criticised the way the debacle had been handled, speaking to Channel 4 News last night.
The Labour party needs to do more than simply to have suspensions of people who have been saying antisemitic things.
We’ve actually got to have an action plan to deal with this in order to have strong processes so that there is swift action because you can never tolerate that kind of discrimination in the party.
Livingstone has said he will give no more interviews until his LBC show on Saturday, which begins at 10am.
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