Brian Leishman will still attend Labour conference despite suspension
Brian Leishman has said that he will still attend Labour conference despite being suspended from the parliamentary party.
The Alloa and Grangemouth MP said he will "still be campaigning for Scottish Labour for Holyrood" after losing the whip at Westminster.
He was booted out of the Parliamentary Labour Party on Wednesday for voting against the government and criticising it in the media.
Leishman told the Record: "The investigation is not expected to be concluded before conference. Conference is in September so we're looking into October.
" I asked then about the suspension, but the couldn't answer that based on whatever investigation takes place."
Asked if he will still be attending the party conference in September, Leishman replied: "Absolutely, I'll still be going to Liverpool.
" I'll still be there. I'm a proud Labour Party member.
" I'll be out campaigning for the fantastic candidates across my constituency for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane, and for Falkirk East.
" I'll still be campaigning for Scottish Labour for Holyrood."
Leishman was one of four Labour MPs who were booted out last week.
He has been the most vocal critic among the Scottish Labour MPs since becoming an MP last year.
He has slammed the government over the Grangemouth refinery closure, the Winter Fuel Payment cuts, the failure to compensate Waspi women and the slashing of disability benefits.
But some of the things he has criticised the government for are Scottish Labour policy.
Leishman has since ruled out joining the SNP or former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's new party - even though Leishman joined under his leadership.
He told the Record earlier this week: "What matters most to me is true Labour Party values.
"True Labour Party values, the home for that is in the Labour Party.
"Labour's been the only party I've ever been a member of.
"I joined in 2016, it's where my political home is. I want to get the Labour whip back because I still feel that the Labour Party is the vehicle for positive change in the country.
"And that means redistributing power and wealth across society and actually trying to achieve a much more equal country."
When asked if this meant he had ruled out joining the Nationalists, he said: "I am committed, rock solid, to the Labour Party.
"The Labour Party is my home. I'm not happy about the way that a lot of things have been done, but I'm a Labour Party member and I'm proud to be one."
When asked if he had considered joining Corbyn's new party, he said: "Your question about Jeremy and Zarah's party, it's the same answer."
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