Four suspended MPs get the Labour whip back – will the other three ever return?

Labour has restored the whip to four MPs who were suspended for rebelling over the two-child benefit cap – but three other rebels remain suspended indefinitely.

The four MPs, Richard Burgon, Ian Byrne, Imran Hussain, and Rebecca Long-Bailey, are now back in the party after being suspended for six months, LabourList understands.

They lost the whip for voting against the government on an SNP-tabled King’s Speech amendment that called for the two-child benefit cap to be scrapped.

Yet three other MPs who also voted against the government remain suspended: Apsana Begum, John McDonnell, and Zarah Sultana. Sultana wrote on X: “I’ve just found out from this [Mirror] article that my whip still hasn’t been restored. Turns out speaking up for Palestine is still a punishable offence.”

READ MORE: Membership down 11% since Labour loses a member every 10 minutes

There is still no clarity however on any timescale for a further review of their suspensions, unlike the six-month milestone promised when they were first suspended. It begs the question of whether they could remain independents until as far off as the next general election, particularly as other MPs have experienced the same fate in the recent past.

LabourList reported this time last year on the fact three Labour-elected MPs had been suspended more than 18 months, and others had quit before even longer investigations wrapped up.

Diane Abbott has claimed her previous lengthy suspension was a “factional manoeuvre”, and some on the left will fear the still-suspended MPs will face similar protracted suspensions, particularly if the rebels continue to speak out against Labour policy.

But others on the right of the party will be pleased by the decision, with one of Begum’s own CLP members previously telling LabourList that “ideally” she’d remain suspended and be forced to resign. Another member called her “hugely popular” locally, however.

Begum also claimed the first she heard of the news was in the media, rather than being told directly. She vowed to “always stand up for the people” of her east London constituency, suggesting no doubt as to whether she intends to stay on in Parliament.

Meanwhile one member in Coventry South recently told LabourList the loss of the whip for Sultana had been “very challenging”, and meant “unnecessary strain and turbulence” for members keen to support both their party and their MP.

McDonnell ‘disappointed’ by decision on fellow MPs

McDonnell said: “Pleased my colleagues got whip back but disappointed Zarah and Apsana haven’t yet.

“Relaxed about my own position as I’ve made clear I don’t expect whip back until we know whether police are to charge me following recent Palestinian demo after which I was interviewed under caution.”

Left-wing campaign group Momentum welcomed the news, but said it was “appalled” that three MPs remained suspended.

“This is an insult to our democracy. Keir Starmer should be focusing on uniting the party against the far right. Instead, he resorts to petty authoritarianism to stifle dissent.

“This will be remembered as a dark day for the Labour Party and we urge the whips to reinstate all three MPs immediately.”

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