‘Routes back to PLP’ for suspended MPs, Lucy Powell says in exclusive interview

Lucy Powell has suggested that four MPs who had the Labour whip suspended could return to the party at some point in the future.

Brian Leishman, Chris Hinchliff, Neil Duncan-Jordan and Rachael Maskell were each suspended pending a future review over “repeated breaches of party discipline”.

Three other MPs had their roles as trade envoys removed on similar grounds.

In an exclusive interview (with more to be published shortly today) with the Leader of the House of Commons hours after news broke of the suspensions, Powell said the move was the right decision but that the door is open for their return to the Parliamentary Labour Party in the future.

She said: “Losing the whip – that’s not what we’re about, we’re about building a Labour family, but we do have certain expectations that people will not actively not support the government.

“These are matters for the chief whip, but there’s always routes back for people.”

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The suspension of the four MPs, three of whom are from the new intake elected last year, has prompted anger and outrage on the left of the Labour Party.

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