Party suspension

Howard Beckett, potential candidate in the race to become the next leader of the Unite general union, has been suspended from the Labour Party over his tweet about home secretary Priti Patel.

The now-deleted tweet, for which Beckett has apologised, suggested Patel “should be deported, not refugees”, in relation to two Indian nationals detained in Glasgow by Border Force officials last month. The men were released following a protest.

Beckett said: “The wording was wrong, offensive & I apologise unreservedly to Priti Patel. No one should be deported.”

Beckett was also a Unite representative on Labour’s NEC​, which he now will not be eligible to attend.