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Labour MPs call for Ken Livingstone to be suspended after Hitler remarks Ken Livingstone's Hitler remarks spark Labour calls for suspension
(35 minutes later)
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. Labour is facing numerous calls to suspend the former London mayor Ken Livingstone after he was accused of antisemitism and making offensive comments about Hitler supporting Zionism.
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. Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, is under pressure to act after at least 20 MPs, including Sadiq Khan, Labour’s current London mayoral candidate, called for him to be expelled or investigated.
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. It is understood the deputy leader, Tom Watson, is also angry and offended by the comments and concerned about their potentially damaging effect on the electoral prospects of hundreds of candidates.
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”. Tensions were running high in the party on Thursday as John Mann, the chair of the all-party group on antisemitism, confronted his colleague at the BBC and branded him a “Nazi apologist”.
The veteran Labour politician also said accusations of antisemitism were part of a campaign against the party leader, Jeremy Corbyn. However, Livingstone has refused to apologise, saying that those who criticise Israel should not be confused with antisemites.
The row broke out after Livingstone appeared on BBC London to defend Naz Shah, the Bradford West MP suspended this week for antisemitic remarks made in 2014.
Shah, who has apologised fully, was 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.
During the BBC 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 politician also said accusations of antisemitism were part of a campaign against the Labour leader.
“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.
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.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.
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”. Livingstone was confronted by Mann, who called him a “disgusting Nazi apologist” and then repeated his accusations to Livingstone live on the BBC’s Daily Politics. “I think you’ve lost it, Mr Livingstone ... What are you on at the moment? You certainly shouldn’t be on Labour’s national executive.”
On the same programme, Livingstone defended himself, saying he was only repeating historical facts and argued the row would die down once people had actually seen his words. He said he had only mentioned Hitler because he was answering a question posed to him.
Watch this. Extraordinary. John Mann MP: You're a disgusting Nazi apologist, Livingstone'. pic.twitter.com/1wlbA1BmNDWatch 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 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. Labour MPs Jess Phillips, Wes Streeting, Yvette Cooper, 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. Woodcock, a former chair of the Labour Friends of Israel, said Livingstone was chair of the party’s international policy commission, and that his comments suggested he must be “actively seeking suspension and notoriety”.
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 Livingstone have been going on amid 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. If Livingstone were to be expelled from Labour, it would be his second expulsion; the first being when he put himself forward as an independent candidate for the London mayoralty in 2000. It is also not the first time he has been in hot water over accusations of antisemitism, having been investigated for likening a Jewish reporter to a Nazi concentration camp guard in 2005.
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.” The politician more recently angered colleagues when he said the shadow minister Kevan Jones, who has suffered depression, “might need some psychiatric help”. Livingstone initially refused to apologise, then agreed to do so.
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 sits on Labour’s national executive committee, and chairs its international policy commission but was sidelined by Corbyn from a review of Trident and defence, which is now being led by Emily Thornberry.