He said: “I stand just as Scottish Labour did in May on an unashamedly anti-austerity platform with policies that will ensure that no-one across Scotland and the rest of the country is left behind. I passionately believe that all members should be allowed to be heard, and be given the opportunity to vote for the candidate of their choice”.
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He added: “I’m not even sure Jeremy did vote remain”.
Draper had been told that his suspension was due to comments he had previously made on Twitter.
The Labour leader was clearly annoyed to be asked about the row following a speech on Wednesday but told reporters: “I did walk through the train”.
Voting for the next Labour leader will conclude on September 21 with the victor announced at the party’s leadership conference on September 24.
It follows reports that a number of Labour members and supporters have received letters warning that they have been suspended from the party after The Sunday telegraph revealed that nearly 6,000 people have been reported to the NEC for abuse, anti-Semitism and supporting other political parties. The party’s general secretary, Iain McNicol, has also tweeted to correct McDonnell’s statement saying Draper had been suspended by “party officials”, to stress it had been done by the NEC.
One of those suspended was former striking miner John Dunn, who is now part of the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign.
More than 50,000 applications to become registered supporters were rejected for “technical reasons” – such as duplicate applications, where people hit the refresh button on the online form multiple times, or failure to make the payment deadline.
The whole affair (as with every story like this) has sent some waves through twittersphere, a lot of them seeming to make a joke out of the situation and possibly portraying the politician in the light of one who is making an issue out of nothing.
Labour leadership challenger Owen Smith used a visit to Hammersmith to announce plans for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union if he is Prime Minister.
Mr Corbyn said: “It’s an enormous honour to be selected and elected as a Labour Member of Parliament”.
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“While Ronnie, a supporter of Jeremy Corbyn, has been denied his say in Labour’s election, no action is being taken over the Labour peer, Lord Sainsbury, who has given more than £2m to support the Liberal Democrats”.
