Starmer says he took tough action against Rochdale candidate after Labour accused of ‘shambolic’ delay

Would-be prime minister Keir Starmer has insisted he took decisive action after Labour was accused of a “shambolic” delay in withdrawing support for a candidate who claimed Israel had allowed the Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people.

In his first public comments since the row erupted on Sunday, the Labour leader also denied he would have dumped the prospective MP sooner had he been on the left of his party.

And he pledged to investigate allegations against any other Labour councillors present when Azhar Ali made his widely condemned remarks.

Earlier Martin Forde KC described Labour’s reaction in the two days since