Labour suspends paedophile campaigner who joined the party

Labour has suspended a paedophile campaigner who joined the party.

Tom O’Carroll, former chairman of the Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE), is understood to have joined the party in September after Jeremy Corbyn was elected as leader.

The Labour Party confirmed to ITV News that O'Carroll had been suspended from the party.

It is understood that party rules mean he cannot be immediately expelled, but an investigation has been launched.

The Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE) was a pro-paedophile group that launched in the 1974 and existed for 10 years, attempting during that time to gain mainstream acceptance.

O'Carroll was jailed for “corrupting public morals” in 1981 and again in 2006 for distributing indecent images of children.

It would appear O'Carroll is still voicing his pro-paedophile views on a personal blog.

One blog post, published earlier this week, says: "I have been at odds with 'the dominant narrative' of sexual morality over the last several decades, especially as regards children’s sexual self-determination and paedophilia. My aim here is to present a discourse of resistance."

John Woodcock, Labour MP for Barrow in Furness, said he has written to the Labour General Secretary Iain McNicol demanding O'Carroll is barred from joining the party for life.

It is understood that a Labour member can be suspended if he poses a “safeguarding risk”

A Labour spokesperson told ITV News: "Tom O'Carroll has been suspended from the Labour Party."

Speaking from his home via intercom yesterday, Mr O'Carroll told The Times: "I don't really think I have any comment on this."

ITV News has contacted Mr O'Carroll for comment.