JEREMY Corbyn has been suspended by Labour after he claimed the party's antisemitism problem had been "dramatically overstated for political reasons".

His comments followed the publication of a damning report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission which said Labour was “responsible for unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination”.

The equalities watchdog identified what it called “serious failings in the Labour Party leadership in addressing antisemitism and an inadequate process for handling antisemitism complaints”.

The body found the party had breached the Equality Act (2010), by interfereing in antisemitism complaints, including instances of inappropriate involvement by the Leader of the Opposition’s Office.

Asked his for his response, the former party boss said the “problem was dramatically overstated for political reasons by our opponents inside and outside the party”.

He also said that he did not accept all the findings of the EHRC report. 

Corbyn said: “Anyone claiming there is no antisemitism in the Labour Party is wrong. Of course there is, as there is throughout society, and sometimes it is voiced by people who think of themselves as on the left.

“Jewish members of our party and the wider community were right to expect us to deal with it, and I regret that it took longer to deliver that change than it should.

“One antisemite is one too many, but the scale of the problem was also dramatically overstated for political reasons by our opponents inside and outside the party, as well as by much of the media. That combination hurt Jewish people and must never be repeated."

Keir Starmer later told reporters: “If - after all the pain, all the grief, and all the evidence in this report - there are still those who think there’s no problem with antisemitism in the Labour party, that it’s all exaggerated, or a factional attack, then, frankly, you are part of the problem too.

“And you should be nowhere near the Labour party either.”

Starmer said the findings of the EHRC investigation marked a “day of shame” for Labour.

Two hours later Labour then moved to suspend the man who, just one year ago, they said should be Prime Minister.

A party spokesman said: “In light of his comments made today and his failure to retract them subsequently, the Labour Party has suspended Jeremy Corbyn pending investigation.

“He has also had the whip removed from the Parliamentary Labour Party.”

Corbyn has voted to fight the "political" suspension. 

In their report, the EHRC said its analysis “points to a culture within the party which, at best, did not do enough to prevent antisemitism and, at worst, could be seen to accept it”.

The interim chair of the EHRC, Caroline Waters, said the investigation highlights “multiple areas” where the party’s approach to tackling antisemitism was not sufficient

She said: “This is inexcusable and appeared to be a result of a lack of willingness to tackle antisemitism rather than an inability to do so.”

An unlawful act notice has been served to Labour, meaning it must now publish an action plan within six weeks.