WATCH Shami Chakrabarti fails to rule out Ken Livingstone’s return to Labour after anti-Semitism probe
2 min read
Shami Chakrabarti has left the door open for the return of Ken Livingstone to the Labour party, after an investigation over anti-Semitic comments he made has concluded.
The shadow attorney general, who led a 2016 inquiry into racism within Labour, said that although she disagreed with Mr Livingstone’s controversial remarks it was not her decision as to whether he should be allowed back into the party.
She told Sky News' Paterson on Sunday show: “I am not judge and jury in relation to Ken Livingstone or anyone else.
“He has been suspended from the party for some time, equally people report that he has said things and done things since that suspension and that is something that the National Executive of our party is going to have to look at.”
Mr Livingstone was initially suspended after telling BBC Radio London that Hitler "was supporting Zionism…before he went mad and ended up killing six million Jews".
Then in April last year, Labour's National Constitutional Committee continued his suspension for another 12 months, despite finding him guilty of three counts of bringing the party into disrepute.
At the time, the former London mayor said: "I do think it's important that the Labour party should not expel or suspend people for telling the truth."
But despite recent reports suggesting his return was imminent senior party figures yesterday insisted that a formal investigation into subsequent comments is now likely to take place.
And in a sign that he may still end up being expelled permanently, the sources added that it would be wrong to suggest that his reinstatement was inevitable.
Ms Chakrabarti continued: “I completely condemn those comments but they should be properly adjudicated on by the national party.
“I have my opinion, but other people have their opinions and he is entitled to due process and that is very important when you are dealing with bad behaviour in any institution or political party.”
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