OPINIONS are divided on the decision not to reinstate Jeremy Corbyn as a whip following the end of his suspension from the Labour Party.

Former Labour leader Mr Corbyn was reinstated to the party earlier this week following a period of suspension. He was initially punished for claiming that anti-Semitism within the party was being “overstated” in an EHRC report.

Mr Corbyn was welcomed back into the fold after facing a National Executive Committee but the decision was made, by Sir Keir and chief whip Nick Brown, not to reinstate his whip credentials.

The leader of Cumbria County Council, Labour councillor Stewart Young, said: “Keir Starmer and Nick Brown said they would keep their decision under review, so I would hope the whip would be restored to Jeremy Corbyn in due course.”

And the party's 2019 general election candidate for Copeland, Tony Lywood, said: “The Labour Party has always been a broad church, from those on the far left to those who are almost Liberal Democrats and many in between. I want to see a unified party and, as an act of unity, to see Mr Corbyn’s whip restored as soon as possible.”

But the Conservative group leader on Copeland Borough Council, David Moore, said: “Keir Starmer is making a very clear stand here.

“He seems to be getting undermined at every point, both by local and national members. I think as leader they should be getting behind him.”

Mr Moore added that it is an issue for the top level of the Labour party.

“The local people need to let due process take its course.”

Critics of Sir Keir’s decision believe plans to reinstate the whip may have fallen through due to pressures within Labour.

In a statement about the lifting of Mr Corbyn's party suspension, Sir Keir said: “Jeremy Corbyn’s actions in response to the EHRC report undermined and set back our work in restoring trust and confidence in the Labour party’s ability to tackle antisemitism.”

After being reinstated to the wider party, Mr Corbyn said: “I am pleased to be reinstated in the Labour Party and would like to thank party members, trade unionists and all who have offered solidarity.

The former Labour leader, who was unsuccessful in his bid to take Number 10 in 2019, went on: "Our movement must now come together to oppose and defeat this deeply damaging Conservative government.”