Our community was sharply divided on the suspensions. While some defended Keir Starmer’s need for party discipline in government, others felt his approach revealed a weakness

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has suspended four MPs from Labour over repeated breaches of party discipline. Neil Duncan-Jordan, Brian Leishman, Chris Hinchliff and Rachael Maskell have had the party whip removed, meaning the MPs will sit as independents in the House of Commons.

Sir Keir Starmer has suspended at least three Labour MPs as he seeks to reassert his authority after a series of damaging backbench rebellions. The MPs are thought to have lost the party whip over “persistent breaches of party discipline”.