Bristol University lecturer David Miller has been suspended by Labour just weeks after the JC revealed he had said Sir Keir Starmer was not going to conduct a proper investigation into a leaked antisemitism report because he was "in receipt of money from the Zionist movement."

Sociologist Mr Miller has been a repeated critic of Israel and has given frequent speeches on alleged propaganda operations by the state and what he claims are its corporate lobbies.

But he has confirmed to the Electronic Intifada website that he was suspended by Labour on Monday in what he claimed was ''the targeted harassment of socialist members".

He added the suspensions were designed to target members who understand the "racism of Zionism'', which he said was “obviously incompatible with membership of the Labour Party”.

On Thursday Labour sources confirmed Mr Miller's suspension from the party but told the JC this was not related to antisemitism allegations. 

Last month the JC reported on the Prof Miller's appearance in an online broadcast hosted by former Labour MP Chris Williamson, entitled ‘Debate on the contents of and fallout from the #LabourLeaks document’.

During the broadcast the lecturer claimed Sir Keir is "obviously not going to" conduct "a proper investigation" into the leaked Labour antisemitism report because he has been "in receipt of money from the Zionist movement."

The YouTube show saw Prof Miller appear alongside Asa Winstanley, who recently quit Labour ahead of an antisemitism expulsion hearing; and Kerry-Anne Mendoza, editor of The Canary, a pro-Corbyn website that regularly peddles conspiracy theories.

 Addressing the controversial leaked report, Prof Miller said: "We are obviously not going to get a proper investigation of this by Comrade Starmer or by Lisa Nandy – who have been in receipt of money from the Zionist movement, from Trevor Chinn.

 "And connections between the Zionist movement and the current  leadership of Labour Party - it’s not the only people they have connections with.

 "Many other super rich people have given them money,  hedge fund owners and the like – but a significant element of support has come from the Zionist movement."

Prof Miller also referred to a meeting held between the Board of Deputies and Lisa Nandy, the new Shadow Foreign Secretary, held last week online.

He said: "And I saw just the other day Lisa Nandy in a video conference with the Jewish Leadership Council and the Board of Deputies including of course in the very personage of Trevor Chinn, one of the key Zionist movers and shakers who have spent a long time trying to influence the Labour Party going back to the Blair years and more."

During the lengthy broadcast, Prof Miller suggested that host Mr Williamson had been a "victim", as had Mr Winstanley, of  a "witch-hunt" against pro-Palestinian activists.

In another claim, Professor Miller suggested that an "alliance" between MI5 and the Zionists may have helped in the propaganda war against the former Labour leader.

In September 2019, Mark Gardner of the Community Security Trust wrote for the JC on how Prof Miller was ''teaching his students that a wide range of British Jewish groups are one of the most important causes of Islamophobia today".

He added: "This vile slur includes the Board of Deputies, the Jewish Leadership Council, CST and others, including groups that focus on Israel, such as BICOM, UJIA, ZF and JNF.''

The CST supplied Bristol University with a copy of a slide it said had been used in the lecture that listed the “Zionist movement (parts of)” as one of the “five pillars” of Islamophobia.

The Jewish security group called Bristol University "an utter disgrace" over its response to the complaint and the failure to take action.

In 2018 Prof Miller suggested that most claims of antisemitism in the Labour Party were false.