How can Jeremy Corbyn end his suspension as a Labour MP?

John Rentoul takes a closer look at the rules – and the political pressures

The former leader is a Labour Party member, but not a Labour MP (Getty)

Jeremy Corbyn is in a strange position, in that he is a member of the Labour Party, but not of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP). That means he cannot call himself a Labour MP – despite what it says on his Twitter account – and that if there were a general election he would not be able to stand as a Labour candidate. 

He was suspended as a party member for his unapologetic response on 29 October to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) report into the party’s handling of antisemitism under his leadership. He was automatically suspended from the PLP as a consequence. 

However, when a disciplinary panel of Labour’s National Executive Committee restored his party membership last week, the restoration of his membership of the PLP did not automatically follow. Instead, Corbyn was told by Nick Brown, the Labour chief whip, that his suspension as a Labour MP would continue for three months, but that it would be kept under review.