York MP Rachael Maskell suspended from Labour Party
Ms Maskell said she had been suspended for “standing up for my constituents” over welfare reforms.
The MP lead a rebellion against the Labour government’s welfare reforms earlier this month which caused it to soften some of its proposals.
Ms Maskell said: “The reason why I voted the way I did was because I believe in fighting for people.”
She said she had had a “positive conversation” with the chief whip, adding: “He knows my heart and why I did what I did.
“I explained there are lines I can’t cross because of where I come from in politics with my faith.”
She said she was “not angry” but “upset that we are in this place because I believe we are better than that as a party. I believe that strength comes from the backbenches.”
Ms Maskell urged the Prime Minister to engage with his backbenchers, saying she wanted to see “bridges built” and this would “make him a better Prime Minister.”
She said she believed there was a path back to having the Labour whip restored. But she said she did not “believe in the process of suspension”, adding it was “better to have dialogue”.
Speaking to The Press after the rebellion, Ms Maskell said she was “Labour to the core”, adding: “I was more focused on doing things right by disabled people rather than a government who had got things terribly wrong.”
She had called on the government to “reset”, saying: “The government need to understand the impact of inequality, people living in poverty, and of course we’re going to have this argument again if we get to the autumn and don’t get this right.”
Ms Maskell’s suspension comes as part of a purge of troublesome backbenchers by Sir Keir Starmer.
Neil Duncan-Jordan and Brian Leishman have confirmed their suspensions from the parliamentary party, while The Times has reported that Chris Hinchliff has also lost the whip.
All three voted against the government’s planned welfare reforms as part of the wider rebellion earlier this month, and all were first elected at last year’s election.
Mr Duncan-Jordan has said he remains “as committed as ever” to Labour values, but accepted that voting against the welfare plans “could come at a cost”.
In a statement, the MP for Poole said: “Since being elected, I have consistently spoken up for my constituents on a range of issues, including most recently on cuts to disability benefits.
“I understood this could come at a cost, but I couldn’t support making disabled people poorer.
“Although I’ve been suspended from the Parliamentary Labour Party today, I’ve been part of the Labour and trade union movement for 40 years and remain as committed as ever to its values.”
Meanwhile, Mr Leishman said he is a “proud Labour member” and remains “committed to the party”
The office of the MP for Alloa and Grangemouth confirmed he had had the whip “temporarily suspended”.
“I wish to remain a Labour MP and deliver the positive change many voters are craving,” Mr Leishman said in a statement.
“I have voted against the Government on issues because I want to effectively represent and be the voice for communities across Alloa and Grangemouth.
“I firmly believe that it is not my duty as an MP to make people poorer, especially those that have suffered because of austerity and its dire consequences.”
As well as the suspensions, three other MPs have been removed from trade envoy jobs: Rosena Allin-Khan, Bell Ribeiro-Addy and Mohammad Yasin.