Alistair Campbell expulsion from Labour was ‘spiteful’ 

Labour deputy leader Tom Watson has said it was “spiteful” to expel people from the Labour Party and called for an “amnesty” on members who voted elsewhere during the European elections. 

Watson condemned Campbell’s expulsion and said “intolerance” will not be a part of Labour and their members should not be “punished” but listened to. 

He said, “It is very clear that many thousands of Labour Party members voted for other parties last week.” 

He added, “They were disappointed with the position on Brexit that a small number of people on the NEC inserted into our manifesto. They were sending the NEC a message that our position lacked clarity, and they were right. 

“It is spiteful to resort to expulsions when the NEC should be listening to members. 

“The politics of intolerance holds no future for the Labour Party. A broad church party requires pluralism and tolerance to survive. 

“There should be an amnesty for members who voted a different way last week. 

“We should be listening to members rather than punishing them.” 

Veteran politician Charles Clarke the former Labour home secretary and party chairman said he voted for the Liberal Democrats during the election. 

Bobo Ainsworth the former ex-defence secretary said he voted for the Green Party. 

Campbell said he will appeal the expulsion and warned Labour will face “oblivion” unless the party clarifies their position on Brexit. 

He said, “I think that there are people in Jeremy Corbyn’s office, senior positions in Jeremy Corbyn’s office, who have recommended voting against the Labour Party,” he said. 

“You can interpret the rules in all sorts of different ways, but one thing I know is I’m not going to leave the party just because some random email comes in telling me that I’ve been expelled.” 

Clarke said in a statement that the Labour Party “should immediately withdraw its expulsion of Alastair.” 

He added, “I was not aware that Alastair had voted Liberal Democrat in the European election until I heard him say so on television on Sunday evening. 

“His expulsion from Labour Party membership is a disgrace and only compounds Labour’s current political difficulties.”