Derek Hatton 'readmitted to Labour Party' after being expelled more than 30 years ago

Derek Hatton has been readmitted to the Labour Party more than 30 years after being expelled, the left-wing politician has said.

The former deputy leader of Liverpool City Council was kicked out of the party in 1986 over his alleged links to the Militant Left-wing faction.

Mr Hatton, 71, confirmed on Monday that his membership had been ratified.

It came on the same day seven MPs quit the party in protest over Jeremy Corbyn’s handling of Brexit and anti-Semitism.

Speaking to The Mirror, Mr Hatton said “processes have happened”, adding: “I am a member of the Labour Party.”

His return was rubber-stamped last week following a meeting of the party's disputes panel which is overseen by the ruling national executive committee, the same newspaper reported.

Mr Hatton previously claimed to have been accepted back last September, but party sources said at the time that he was not a member.

He was originally expelled by the then leader Neil Kinnock for membership of the left-wing Militant Tendency.

It followed a national outcry in the 1980s after the council set an illegal budget and then sent out redundancy notices to thousands of staff by taxi.

A Labour Party spokesman said: "We don't comment on individual membership statuses."