Is there a place for Ken Livingstone in the Labour Party? Shami Chakrabarti says she condemns his comments, but says she is not “judge and jury” #Paterson pic.twitter.com/9zCL5525jO

— Sunday with Paterson (@RidgeOnSunday) 25 February 2018

Following reports that Labour are on the cusp of lifting Ken Livingstone’s suspension, Shami Chakrabarti refused to rule out his re-admittance to full membership but said he should face further investigation before any decision is made. Asked if there was a place in Labour for Livingstone, Chakrabarti didn’t rule out his return saying:

“Well, obviously I’m not judge and jury… he has been suspended for some time but equally people report he has said things and done things since that suspension and that is something the NEC is going to have to look at.”

Subsequent comments since Livingstone’s suspension include those he made on Iran’s Press TV on Holocaust Memorial Day, on a programme discussing: “Has the Holocaust been exploited to oppress others?” 

There was confusion at the top of the Labour Party yesterday as officials realised Ken’s suspension was due to expire in April. In a storm of controversy and amid a revolt by PLP moderates, the party hurriedly announced a new probe (to which Shami is referring), based on an old promise first made by Jeremy Corbyn ten months ago. Until now, that probe appeared to have been quietly dropped, with no action taken against Ken. Meanwhile, Corbyn claims to be serious about tackling anti-Semitism…