Labour MP should lose whip if she repeats Israel slur, says Louise Ellman

Dame Louise Ellman has said that Liverpool Riverside MP Kim Johnson should lose the Labour whip “if she repeats” her venomous attack on the “fascist” Israeli government.

Ellman – who stepped down from the same Liverpool seat in protest at Jeremy Corbyn’s failure to tackle antisemitism – added she was “not surprised” to hear Johnson use such language in relation to Israel in the House of Commons.

She said:”I was shocked to hear it, I wasn’t surprised that those were Kim Johnson’s sentiments.

“After all, it’s only a little over a year ago that she denied on BBC North West TV that I’d been forced out of the Labour Party, when she herself had been part of the problem as she was an activist in Liverpool Riverside at that time.”

Asked about Johnson’s use of the word “fascist” during PMQs on Wednesday, Ellman said:”If Kim Johnson repeats that I think she should lose the Labour whip.

“I’m pleased to see that Keir Starmer and the chief whip acted so promptly and secured that very full apology and withdrawal. But the test has to be what happens next.”

Speaking on presenter Andrew Marr’s LBC radio show, the former MP, who rejoined Labour under Starmer’s leadership, said:”Kim should be very careful what she says next.

“She should be part of Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, not harp back to the days of Jeremy Corbyn when the Labour Party became unelectable.”

Ellman said Starmer had “changed the whole atmosphere” of Labour, but said there were still “pockets”, including Liverpool Riverside were people “held vile views” and were “a problem.”

She said:”I want to see a Labour government to make things better for people. Keir Starmer still has more work to do.”

Ellman added:”There’s nothing wrong with criticising the Israeli government.

Stirring up hatred and ignoring the fact that only a few days ago 7 Jewish worshippers were gunned down is not the way to find peace.”