Labour suspends second parliamentary candidate over Israel comments

Withdrawal of backing for Graham Jones, candidate for Hyndburn, follows Starmer's action against Azhar Ali in Rochdale

Labour has suspended a second parliamentary candidate over their remarks about Israel, as Keir Starmer struggles to contain the fallout from the leak of a private meeting of party activists in Lancashire last year.

Party sources said on Tuesday that Labour had suspended Graham Jones, the candidate for Hyndburn, less than 24 hours after the party withdrew its support from Azhar Ali, its candidate for the Rochdale byelection later this month.