Statement on Ken Livingstone

Ken Livingstone was found guilty of very serious allegations and the punishment did not reflect their severity. Ken Livingstone should not be a member of the Labour Party, he should have been expelled.

To be clear, I believe anyone found guilty of discriminatory abuse, whether it be racism, sexism, homophobia or other forms, should face expulsion from the Labour Party. People who hold these views do not represent the Labour movement, they do not represent my politics - they have no place in the Labour Party.

More than ever, the Labour Party needs to take a lead and take a zero-tolerance approach towards anti-Semitism. I shall do whatever I can in my power to ensure the Labour Party rule book reflects a zero-tolerance stance towards discriminatory behaviour.