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Alastair Campbell: Labour to review expulsion of Blair’s ex-spin doctor, says Corbyn ally

Campbell kicked out for public support for Liberal Democrats

Lizzy Buchan
Political Correspondent
,Andrew Woodcock
Thursday 30 May 2019 15:53 BST
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Alastair Campbell admits voting for Lib Dems: 'I didn't vote Labour for the first time in my life'

Labour will review the decision to expel Alastair Campbell from its ranks after he voted for the Liberal Democrats in an act of Brexit protest.

Shami Chakrabarti, the shadow attorney general, said political parties have “automatic rules” for people who express public support for other parties but it was “appropriate” to reconsider the decision to cast out Tony Blair’s former spin doctor.

The expulsion of Mr Campbell over his European election vote has triggered a major row, with deputy leader Tom Watson describing it as a “spiteful” move.

A group of Labour grandees dared Jeremy Corbyn to expel them from Labour in an act of solidarity with Mr Campbell, including Charles Clarke, the former home secretary, Bob Ainsworth and Fiona MacTaggart.

Baroness Chakrabarti, an ally of Mr Corbyn, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Now there will be a review, which is appropriate.

“I don’t want to cut across this review, I’m not part of that process. I would not like to see this drag on.

“Political parties have rules about people who support other parties, but I hope this case will be reviewed.”

She said many people had decided not to vote for Labour for “heartfelt reasons” and this should not be grounds for expulsion.

The Labour leadership is facing pressure to stem the exodus of Remain voters to pro-EU parties after it suffered its worst national election result since 1910 at the European Parliament elections.

Cherie Blair, the wife former prime minister Tony Blair, was reportedly “happy for it to be known” that she voted Lib Dem in the elections.

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Former Labour MP Andrew MacKinlay also revealed he has joined the Liberal Democrats due to disillusionment with Mr Corbyn and the party’s stance on Brexit.

Mr MacKinlay, who was Labour MP for Thurrock from 1992-2010, told The Independent: “I’ve been a Labour member for 52 years, I’ve been up hill and down dale with the party and we’ve been down in some troughs before, but previously I always thought we would get out of them.”

He let his membership lapse before Christmas and joined the Lib Dems on Wednesday because of the party’s opposition to Brexit, though he has no plans to return to the Commons.

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