Former London mayor Ken Livingstone has announced he is resigning from the Labour Party. Mr Livingstone had been suspended from the party since April 2016 pending an internal investigation following comments he made about Hitler.
In a statement on Facebook, Mr Livingstone said “I do not accept the allegation that I have brought the Labour Party into disrepute – nor that I am in any way guilty of anti-Semitism.”
“I abhor antisemitism, I have fought it all my life and will continue to do so.”
“I also recognise that the way I made a historical argument has caused offence and upset in the Jewish community. I am truly sorry for that.”
Mr Livingstone said “the ongoing issues around my suspension from the Labour Party have become a distraction”.
