FORMER shadow chancellor John McDonnell has described the suspension of Jeremy Corbyn as “profoundly wrong”.
Corbyn, the party's former leader, was suspended after he claimed Labour's antisemitism problem had been "dramatically overstated for political reasons".
His comments followed the publication of a report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which said Labour was “responsible for unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination”.
The body found the party had breached the Equality Act (2010), by interfering in antisemitism complaints, including instances of inappropriate involvement by the Leader of the Opposition’s Office.
READ MORE: Jeremy Corbyn suspended by Labour over claims antisemitism in party 'overstated'
Corbyn said he did not accept all of the report's findings. Later his successor, Keir Starmer, said: “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.”
Just a few hours later the party suspended their former leader.
McDonnell (below) tweeted: “On the day we should all be moving forward & taking all steps to fight antisemitism, the suspension of Jeremy Corbyn is profoundly wrong.
“In interests of party unity let’s find a way of undoing & resolving this.
“I urge all party members to stay calm as that is the best way to support Jeremy and each other. Let’s all call upon the leadership to lift this suspension.”
Meanwhile, a Scottish Labour Party member of 10 years has resigned his membership in protest at the suspension, calling it an “abysmal decision”.
“The facts, as far as I see them, are that Jeremy Corbyn has shown a lifelong distaste for racism of any bent,” said Andrew Cassidy, 44, from near Glasgow.
“Being pro-Palestinian is conflated as antisemitism, both by the mainstream media and, now, by Labour Party grandees,” Cassidy claimed.
“I am proud to be anti-racist. I am proud of my socialist ideals and believe that only a culture of zero tolerance to racism of any stripe is an achievable goal.
“Sadly, a good man has been hung out to dry in order to distance Starmer’s Labour from the progressive, inclusive party that Corbyn aimed for.
“I stand with Jeremy Corbyn and have resigned my membership of UK Labour in protest against this abysmal decision.”
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