Derek Hatton – the former Militant firebrand who was suspended by Labour days after rejoining it for blaming Israeli government policy on the Jews – was a guest at a Liverpool MP's pro-Jeremy Corbyn event, the JC can reveal.
The controversial left-winger, who allowed back into the party after 36 years last month, attended Dan Carden MP’s Walton Constituency Labour Party (CLP) event on Friday evening at which Baroness Chakrabarti and Unite union boss Len McCluskey both spoke.
Mr Hatton was suspended on February 20, just two days after coming back, after a 2012 tweet resurfaced in which he said: “Jewish people with any sense of humanity need to start speaking out publicly against the ruthless murdering being carried out by Israel!”
During Friday’s event, Mr Hatton was spotted seated on a table next to Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson.
A photo of him there was tweeted by the Sefton branch of Momentum. The tweet was later deleted.
In his speech, Mr McCluskey said: “We’re being told that we’re bullies in this city, that we’re antisemitic.
“The very city that when the real antisemities turn up to walk and march on our streets …we kick them out...
“How proud I am that this city has always been a city that has rejected racism and antisemitism. I predicted some time ago you would hear the words bullying, intimidation, intolerance bandied about by right-wing Labour MPs.
“I’ve got another word for it - accountability.”
Referromg to Jewish Liverpool MPs such as Dame Louise Ellman and Luciana Berger, who dramatically quit the party last month, Mr McCluskey added: “We have the right to question them if we’re not sure that they’re speaking with the views we hold.”
Speaking about the event, Mr Carden added: "Liverpool has come under attack in the last week and it's important that we speak up for Liverpool when it comes under attack and speak up for party members and party democracy in our political parties.
"Liverpool is totally united behind Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party and Jeremy Corbyn's leadership and it's important that we express that every so often and we celebrate it."
Mr Hatton’s presence at the event has sparked anger among many Labour MPs, annoyed by the decision to allow him back into the party.