Ken Livingstone quits Labour over claim ‘Hitler backed Zionism’
KEN LIVINGSTONE yesterday resigned from the Labour Party as he said the issues around his suspension for making allegedly anti-semitic remarks had become a “distraction”.
Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, said the resignation was “sad” but also “the right thing to do”.
Labour MPS welcomed the decision but bemoaned the amount of time it had taken for Mr Livingstone to leave the party as they attacked him for his “despicable and hurtful attitude”.
Mr Livingstone was suspended from Labour in 2016 for claiming Adolf Hitler supported Zionism in the Thirties.
His resignation means an internal Labour investigation into his conduct automatically ceases.
He said he was leaving with “great sadness” as he continued to reject the allegation that he had brought the party into disrepute and insisted he was in no way guilty of anti-semitism.
“After much consideration, I have decided to resign,” he said.
“The ongoing issues around my suspension ... have become a distraction from the key political issue of our time – which is to replace a Tory government overseeing falling living standards and spiralling poverty while starving our schools and the NHS of the vital resources they need.”
He added: “I also recognise that the way I made a historical argument has caused offence and upset in the Jewish community. I am truly sorry for that.”
He said he planned to continue campaigning, telling the BBC: “I can go back to campaigning on issues such as the environment and supporting Jeremy’s economic plans. If I was to stay in [Labour] and fight this, my lawyers said it could take two years more.”
Mr Corbyn said: “Ken Livingstone’s resignation is sad after such a long and vital contribution to London and progressive politics, but it was the right thing to do.”
Ruth Smeeth, a Labour MP and an outspoken campaigner against antisemitism in the party, said: “Ken Livingstone’s behaviour has been grossly offensive to British Jews. His departure is welcome, but the fact that he still refuses to accept responsibility for his actions is a disgrace. The truth is that Ken’s despicable and hurtful attitude should have seen him expelled years ago and the fact that it has taken this long to see him go beggars belief.
“Nevertheless, we can all take some solace today that he and his toxic views no longer pollute our party. Good riddance.”
Meanwhile, Wes Streeting, a Labour MP, said Mr Livingstone “should have been expelled” amid speculation that the decision to resign could leave open a possible return to the party.
Mr Livingstone was defended by Chris Williamson, with the Labour MP and ally of Mr Corbyn saying the former mayor of London “remains a towering figure of the Labour movement”.
‘We can all take some solace today that he and his toxic views no longer pollute our party. Good riddance’
As Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn has long been too slow to act when it comes to accusations of anti-semitism in his party, even when they concern some of its most prominent figures. The past few months have seen an escalation of the issue, with calls from the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council to address it – and, after a cascade of abuse against Jewish Labour MPS, including rape and death threats, a letter signed by 39 of the party’s elected representatives urging Mr Corbyn to purge Labour of anti-semites and their apologists. Depending on which report one reads, between 100 and 200 Labour members are currently being investigated for anti-semitism.
So it was a very welcome development when last night Ken Livingstone, the former mayor of London, finally announced his resignation from the party, saying the issues around his suspension for alleged anti-semitism had become a “distraction” for the Left. To be specific, Mr Livingstone was suspended in 2016 for claiming that Hitler supported Zionism in the Thirties (“before he went mad”).
The problem is that his departure now allows Labour to drop its investigation. As the Jewish Labour MP Ruth Smeeth, herself the victim of vile anti-semitism from within her party, put it, Mr Livingstone’s attitude should have “seen him expelled years ago” – and the fact that he still refuses to accept full responsibility for his actions is a disgrace. What is perhaps even more appalling is Mr Corbyn’s tone-deaf response to the resignation. The Labour leader described Mr Livingstone’s departure as “sad” but “the right thing to do”. Fellow MP Chris Williamson praised him as a “towering figure” who stood up to “all forms of racism” – a standard Corbynite epithet used when this specific form of racism is at issue.
This is yet another example of why Mr Corbyn is unfit to run this country. His failure to weed out such attitudes from his party reveals not just his moral weakness but his dependence on a minority of hard-left activists whose geopolitical outlook is largely motivated by hatred of Israel. If he is really serious about tackling anti-semitism, Mr Corbyn should make it plain that Mr Livingstone will not be allowed back into the Labour Party so long as he is leader, at the very least.