Board of Deputies urges Labour to expel Ken Livingstone following his indefinite suspension from the party

The Board of Deputies has reacted to the Labour Party’s decision to suspend Ken Livingstone indefinitely pending further investigations into his actions.

A spokesperson said: “Ken Livingstone’s readmission to the Labour Party would have been a disaster for the already strained relationship between the Jewish community and the Labour Party, so it is fortunate that this possibility has been taken off the table. However, we continue to believe that Ken Livingstone should have been expelled long ago. We urge Labour not to kick this problem in to the long grass. His comments have been very public, frequently repeated and consistently offensive. It is time for Labour to expel him for good, and as soon as possible.”