Britain's main opposition Labour Party today suspended former London mayor Ken Livingstone for defending a Pakistani origin colleague involved in an anti-Semitic row and "bringing the party into disrepute".
Livingstone, in an interview to BBC Radio London, tried to defend Labour MP Naz Shah, saying he had never heard anyone in the Labour Party say anything anti-Semitic.
"Livingstone has been suspended by the Labour Party, pending an investigation, for bringing the party into disrepute," a Labour spokesman said.
Shah, 42, stepped down as the parliamentary private secretary to Labour's shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, earlier this week over anti-Semitic remarks on her Facebook posts that called for the relocation of Israeli Jews to US.
She was later suspended by Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn pending an investigation following demands for strict action from within the party.
Shah has since apologised, saying: "I deeply regret the hurt I have caused. This post from two years ago was made before I was an MP, does not reflect my views and I apologise for any offence it has caused."
Livingstone was trying to defend Shah but was instead dubbed anti-Semitic as well.
"Let's remember, when Hitler won his election in 1932 his policy then was that Jews should be moved to Israel.
"He was supporting Zionism before he went mad and ended up killing six million Jews.
"I've heard a lot of people being critical of Israel, but if I was to denounce the South African government, you wouldn't say I was racist. And one of my worries is this confusion with anti-Semitism and criticising the Israeli government policy undermines the importance is tackling real anti-Semitism," Livingstone told the radio.
Fellow Labour party MP John Mann attacked him as being a "Nazi apologist" in front of a media scrum which was caught on camera.
Mann now faces a reprimand for his conduct.
Prime Minister David Cameron also got drawn into the row, when he was asked for a comment.
"The Labour Party has got a problem with anti-Semitism... It's like racism, it's unacceptable in a modern political party. As I said to Jeremy Corbynsome weeks ago...They've got a problem and they'vegot to deal with it," he said.
