The suspension of Jeremy Corbyn is the latest salvo in Labour’s civil war

Jeremy Corbyn has said he will “vigorously challenge” his suspension from Labor, signaling a further outbreak of hostilities in the party’s bitter civil war.

Labor headquarters suspended former leader Mr Corbyn and removed the parliamentary whip after he said the scale of the anti-Semitism problem had been “dramatically overstated for political reasons” by his opponents “inside and outside the party”.

The move came against the backdrop of a damning Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) report which found Labor had acted unlawfully in its handling of the anti-Semitism crisis that has rocked the party.

The suspension came after Corbyn’s successor Sir Keir Starmer said anyone who claimed the issue had been exaggerated or was a “factional attack” was “part of the problem”.

Mr Corbyn’s refusal to retract the comments led to the party’s general secretary David Evans, an ally of Sir Keir, deciding to suspend him.

It marks the latest development in Sir Keir’s efforts to distance himself from his predecessor.

Sir Keir’s remarks were delivered from a podium and read: “A new leadership”, just to underline the point.

Mr Corbyn, who frequently complained that elements at Labor headquarters tried to undermine him when he was leader, criticized the “political intervention” that led to his suspension.

“I will strongly object to the political intervention to suspend me,” he said.

“I have made it absolutely clear that those who deny there is an anti-Semitism problem in the Labor Party are wrong.”

John McDonnell, Mr Corbyn’s shadow chancellor, said the suspension was “deeply wrong” but urged the former leader’s supporters to remain calm.

He said: “On the day when we should all be moving forward and taking every step to combat anti-Semitism, suspending Jeremy Corbyn is deeply wrong.”

“For the sake of party unity, let us find a way to reverse and resolve this.”

“I urge all party members to remain calm as this is the best way to support Jeremy and each other. Let us all call on the leadership to lift this suspension.”

The Socialist Campaign Group of left-wing MPs also condemned the suspension.

“We strongly reject the decision to suspend Jeremy Corbyn from the Labor Party,” the group said.

“We will work tirelessly for his reinstatement.

“The fight against anti-Semitism and all forms of racism is central to the fight for a society based on justice and equality.”

Pro-Corbyn advocacy group Momentum said: “This suspension risks politicizing Labour’s response to anti-Semitism.”

“It is a massive attack by the new leadership on the left and should be repealed immediately in the interest of party unity.”

Unite union boss Len McCluskey said the suspension was a “grave injustice”.

“The suspension appears to be at odds with one of the EHRC’s key recommendations – and which Keir himself said he would implement fully and immediately – namely to exempt the leader’s office from party investigations,” he said.

“But it is also an act of grave injustice which, if not reversed, will cause chaos within the party, thereby jeopardizing Labour’s chances of winning the general election. A divided party will be doomed to defeat.”

Dave Ward, general secretary of the Communications Workers’ Union, said the decision to suspend Mr Corbyn was “fundamentally wrong and must be changed”.

Meanwhile, money went into a crowdfunding effort aimed at covering Mr Corbyn’s legal costs if defamation proceedings are brought against him over previous comments on the anti-Semitism row.

Labor deputy leader Angela Rayner told BBC Radio 4’s World At One program: “I’m devastated that it has come to this. Today should be about really listening, reading the report and absorbing it.

“It is a day of shame for the Labor Party and the results have been drastic.

“Jeremy is a perfectly decent man but, as Margaret Hodge said, he has an absolute blind spot and denial when it comes to some of these issues and that is devastating.”

She rejected Mr Corbyn’s claim that anti-Semitism had been exaggerated and said the EHRC’s findings were a “shame on us”.

“And there is no remedy for that and we need to acknowledge that and do something about it,” Ms Rayner added.

Labor MP Dame Margaret Hodge, who clashed repeatedly with Mr Corbyn during his time in office, said the suspension was “the right decision following Mr Corbyn’s disgraceful response to the EHRC report”.

Sir Keir said: “I want to unite the Labor Party and bring our groups together as a united party.

“But I am clearly committed to eradicating anti-Semitism and I will honor that commitment.

“We cannot say ‘zero tolerance’ and then turn a blind eye.”