Labour MPs today voiced fury over the 'embarrassing' suspension of former equalities watchdog Trevor Phillips - accusing Corbynistas of 'weaponising' Islamophobia allegations as an act of revenge.

The anti-racism campaigner, who previously chaired the Equality and Human Rights Commission, faces an investigation and could be expelled from the party.

He was among a group of 24 public figures who last year declared their refusal to vote for the Labour Party because of its association with anti-Semitism.

However, Mr Phillips revealed he is now being investigated over past comments, some of which date back years, including remarks on Pakistani Muslim men sexually abusing children in northern British towns.

He stood by his remarks today, blaming 'gangsterism' and suggesting he was a victim of 'payback' after criticising the leadership's handling of anti-Semitism cases.

Labour backbencher Khalid Mahmood - the longest-serving Muslim MP - branded the charges 'outlandish' and said they brought 'disrepute' on the party.

Tevor Phillips (left) was suspended by Labour's general secretary Jennie Formby (right) over remarks that are said to date back years

Labour wrote to Mr Phillips saying his membership of the party had been 'administratively suspended' pending an investigation

Labour MP Steve McCabe lashed out at the suspension of Mr Phillips on Twitter today

Comments Mr Phillips made about the failure of some Muslims to wear poppies for Remembrance Sunday are under scrutiny.

Other remarks refer to an opinion poll suggesting some Muslims had sympathy towards the motives of the Charlie Hebdo attackers.

However, Mr Phillips today mounted a robust defence. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said: 'I'm surprised about what is and always has been an open and democratic party decides that its members cannot have healthy debate about how we address differences of values and outlooks.

Labour 'charge sheet' against ex-equalities chief Trevor Phillips Labour's 'draft charge sheet' accuses Trevor Phillips of using language 'which targets or intimidates members of ethnic or religious communities, or incites racism, including Islamophobia'. He is also accused of engaging in conduct that 'may reasonably be seen to demonstrate hostility or prejudice based on race, religion or belief', involved 'Islamophobic actions, stereotypes and sentiments', and 'undermines the party's ability to campaign against racism'. Grooming scandal In a 2016 pamphlet, Mr Phillips wrote: 'The most sensitive cause of conflict in recent years has been the collision between majority norms and the behaviours of some Muslim groups. 'In particular, the exposure of systematic and longstanding abuse by men, mostly of Pakistani Muslim origin in the north of England.' Remembrance Day Mr Phillips describe a visit to an industrial site where many African and eastern European immigrants worked but noticed a marked difference in those who were planning to mark Remembrance Sunday. He wrote: 'Poppies were everywhere. One group had clearly adapted to the mainstream, the other had not.' 'Nation within a nation' In 2016 Mr Phillips was quoted in a Times story on a survey of values, referring to 'the unacknowledged creation of a nation within the nation, with its own geography, its own values and its own very separate future'. Advertisement

'Let us be clear about this. They say I'm accusing Muslims of being different.

'Well, actually, that's true. Muslims are different and, in many ways, I think that's admirable.'

In a column for The Times he questioned the motivation behind the sanction and accused Labour bosses of 'political gangsterism'.

'Some will see it as payback by Corbynistas for public criticisms I made of the leadership's failure to tackle antisemitism in the party,' he wrote.

'Another possibility is that it's an attempt to scare the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which I used to lead and which is investigating Labour's handling of anti-Semitism.

'Weaponising Islamophobia to attack political opponents may seem like clever tactics but trying to intimidate a legally independent organisation is pure political gangsterism.'

Labour MPs also voiced disquiet about the development.

In a report by the Policy Exchange think-tank on the case today, Mr Mahmood said: 'The charges are so outlandish as to bring disrepute on all involved in making them; and I fear they further add to the sense that we, as a party, have badly lost our way.

'I cannot speak to the internal politics that may be involved in the decision to launch this case, but I want to underline my own dismay at how this case seems to represent the final deformation of attempts to define ''Islamophobia''.'

Mr Mahmood said the action by Labour was 'embarrassing' and the party appeared intent on wielding allegations of Islamophobia 'as a weapon for rooting out ''difficult'' voices'.

Former minister Ben Bradshaw tweeted: 'This swift action against Trevor Phillips is in stark contrast to the complete lack of action against anti-semites I & many other Labour MPs have reported repeatedly to @JennieGenSec & who remain Labour members.'

The Policy Exchange report, which has an introduction by Mr Phillips, includes a copy of the letter written by Labour officials setting out the allegations.

The 'draft charge sheet' accuses Mr Phillips of using language 'which targets or intimidates members of ethnic or religious communities, or incites racism, including Islamophobia'.

He is also accused of engaging in conduct that 'may reasonably be seen to demonstrate hostility or prejudice based on race, religion or belief', involved 'Islamophobic actions, stereotypes and sentiments', and 'undermines the party's ability to campaign against racism'.

Mr Phillips fears the suspension might be connected to criticism of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn for failing to deal with allegations of anti-Semitism in the party

The Labour letter cites extracts from a 2016 pamphlet Mr Phillips wrote which contained the statement, 'The most sensitive cause of conflict in recent years has been the collision between majority norms and the behaviours of some Muslim groups.

'In particular, the exposure of systematic and longstanding abuse by men, mostly of Pakistani Muslim origin in the north of England.'

He went on to describe a visit to an industrial site where many African and eastern European immigrants worked but noticed a marked difference in those who were planning to mark Remembrance Sunday.

He wrote: 'Poppies were everywhere. One group had clearly adapted to the mainstream, the other had not.'

Other remarks highlighted by Labour include a quote in The Times in 2016, where he referred to 'the unacknowledged creation of a nation within the nation, with its own geography, its own values and its own very separate future'.

Despite many of the statements dating back years, Labour's general secretary Jennie Formby suspended him as a matter of urgency to 'protect the party's reputation'.

In a letter to the Guardian in November, a group of public figures decided to take a stand against allegations of anti-Semitism in the Labour party.

The letter from the Labour Party to Mr Phillips, and his reply (pictured), were included in a report on the case by the Policy Exchange think-tank today - for which Mr Phillips wrote an introduction

Former minister Ben Bradshaw tweeted contrasting the action against Mr Phillips with the response to allegations of anti-Semitism

They said the path to a more tolerant society 'must encompass Britain's Jews with unwavering solidarity'.

They also accused party leader Jeremy Corbyn of having 'a long record of embracing anti-Semites as comrades'.

Mr Phillips told The Times there was no suggestion that he has done anything unlawful and 'no one inside or outside the Labour Party has ever suggested that I have broken any rules'.

Mr Phillips said he was shocked when he received news of his suspension and it suspicious of the motives behind it.

'Significantly, my indictment concerns matters of faith, doctrine and dissent,' he wrote.

'It is written, not in the language of a democratic, open political movement but in the cold-eyed, accusatory prose of the zealot.

'In essence, after more than 30 years of promoting the Labour cause, I am accused of heresy, and threatened with excommunication.'

A Labour Party spokeswoman said: 'The Labour Party takes all complaints about Islamophobia extremely seriously and they are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures, and any appropriate disciplinary action is taken.'