Livingstone suspended for a year over Hitler comments
FORMER LONDON mayor Ken Livingstone says he has been suspended from the Labour Party for one further year over controversial comments about Adolf Hitler and Zionism, following a disciplinary hearing in London.
Mr Livingstone, who had threatened to launch a judicial review if he was expelled from the party, said he would now consult with lawyers about his legal position.
The ex-mayor said earlier he had expected to be expelled because the disciplinary panel investigating the case was dominated by “right-wingers”.
A Labour Party spokesman said: “The National Constitutional Committee of the Labour Party has today found that all three charges of a breach of the Labour Party’s rule 2.1.8 by Ken Livingstone have been found proved.
“The NCC consequently determined that the sanction for the breach of Labour Party rules will be suspension from holding office and representation within the Labour Party for two years.
“Taking account of the period of administrative suspension already served the period of suspension will end on 27 April 2018.
“The Labour Party will make no further comment on this matter.”
Mr Livingstone said: “Today’s Labour Party panel extended my suspension for another year because of my political views, not because I have done anything to harm the Labour Party.
“The Labour Party’s disciplinary process was not in accord with natural justice in a number of ways. For example the panel hearing was not held in public, despite the fact that it could have been under Labour’s rules. I was suspended for more than 11 months before the hearing was held.
“Scheduling the final day of this disciplinary hearing on the day the Labour Party launched its campaign for the May 4 elections was a supreme misjudgment by whoever planned this in the Labour Party headquarters.
“It was clearly not in Labour’s interests as the hearing will inevitably generate unfavourable headlines at a time when Labour should be focused on campaigning. I will be launching a campaign to overturn my suspension of party membership.”
Addressing a crowd of journalists immediately after the hearing, Mr Livingstone said: “I expected them to expel me, so I’ve now got to consider whether I challenge this legally or just live with it.”
I’ve now got to consider whether I challenge this Former London Mayor Ken Livingstone