Today (4 April) Ken Livingstone was suspended for a further year from the Labour Party as the result of a long delayed quasi judicial process that was not in accord with natural justice.
Ken 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 or 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.
‘People in this country urgently need a Labour government.
‘ Scheduling the final day of this disciplinary hearing, on the day the Labour Party launched its campaign for the 4 May elections, was a supreme misjudgement 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 focussed on campaigning.
‘Labour members need to step up campaigning towards May’s elections and redouble our efforts to secure a Labour victory.
‘I will be launching a campaign to overturn my suspension of Party membership.’