Baroness Royall calls for Ken Livingstone to be expelled by Labour

Ken Livingstone should have been expelled from the Labour Party “a long time ago”, Labour peer Baroness Royall has said.

The Labour peer last night used an appearance at a book launch to call for the former London Mayor – who is currently suspended from the party – to be “booted out” permanently.

She said: “I for one firmly hope that in the next couple of weeks he will be booted out of the party.”

Royall spoke in the wake of further controversy sparked by Livingstone earlier this week.

In an appearance on the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme earlier, the veteran left-winger repeated comments about Nazi Germany and the Zionist movement that resulted in his expulsion from the party in April.

He went on to make similar comments on Sky News yesterday.

Speaking at a promotional event for Community Security Trust deputy communications director Dave Rich’s new book on anti-Semitism and the left Royall criticised media organisations for giving Livingstone a platform.

She said: “I nearly blew a gasket when I heard reports of what Ken Livingstone had been saying again.

“Why do they keep putting Ken Livingstone, a serial offender, on our screens?”

Labour has yet to rule on whether he will remain a member of the party – but Board of Deputies vice president has said that “every day that Labour does not expel him is a stain on the party”.