The Labour party has suspended former London Mayor Ken Livingstone in the wake of a new anti-Semitism row.

The suspension came after several party figures, including Labour’s candidate for London mayor, called for Livingstone suspension for his comments in a BBC London Radio interview in which he claimed Hitler had supported Zionism ‘’before he went mad and ended up killing 6 million Jews. ” He also harged that for decades in the UK there has been a “well-orchestrated campaign by the Israel lobby to smear anybody who criticizes Israel policy as anti-Semitic.”

The row broke out after Livingstone, a veteran former London mayor who sits on Labour’s national executive and heads the opposition party’s international policy commission, appeared on BBC London to defend Naz Shah, the Labour MP suspended this week for promoting a Facebook post suggesting Israel srael should be moved to the United States.

She has apologised for the comments - but it sparked fresh claims from senior Labour figures that the party led by Jeremy Corbyn is not doing enough to tackle growing anti-Semitism in its ranks.

Livingstone told the BBC: “Her remarks were over the top but she is not anti-Semitic.

“I have been in the Labour Party for 40 years and I have never heard anyone say anything anti-Semitic.’’

Livingstone’s comments prompted outraged reactions not only within the Labour ranks but also in the Jewish community.

In the interview, he defended a Labour MP Naz Shah as he insisted he had never heard anyone within Labour be anti-Semitic.

Labour’s mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan said: “Ken Livingstone‘s comments are appalling and inexcusable. There must be no place for this in our party.”

Joan Ryan MP, who chairs the Labour Friends of Israel group, said: “To speak of Zionism – the right of the Jewish people to self-determination – and Hitler in the same sentence is quite breathtaking. I am appalled that Ken Livingstone has chosen to do so. There cannot be one rule for some Labour party members and one rule for others.’’

Labour colleague John Mann MP called Livingstone “a Nazi apologist,” a “fucking disgrace,” and a “disgusting racist” who was rewriting history. Mann, who chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group against Antisemitism, told Livingstone he “should read ‘Mein Kampf'” and would learn that Hitler was opposed to a Jewish state, since he thought that it would create a Jewish power base. “

Jonathan Arkush, the president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said: “Ken Livingston’s comments were abhorrent and beyond disgraceful. His latest comments combine Holocaust revisionism with antisemitism denial, when the evidence is there for all to see. He lacks any sense of decency. He must now be expelled from the Labour Party.”

Bernard Hughes, Director of External Affairs for the Jewish Leadership Council, said : “We do not believe the Labour Party is institutionally racist or anti-Semitic but sadly there are individuals within the party whose views and statements are anti-Semitic and have really shocked us. The party leadership must now act decisively.’’

Livingstone refused to apologise, saying that those who criticise Israel should not be confused with antisemites.''