Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has addressed the withdrawal of Labour support in Rochdale by-election candidate Azhar Ali.

Asked why this decision was made, Sir Keir said: “Certain information came to light over the weekend in relation to the candidate, there was a fulsome apology.

“Further information came to light yesterday calling for decisive action, so I took decisive action.

“It is a huge thing to withdraw support for a Labour candidate during the course of a by-election.

“It was a tough decision and a necessary decision but when I say the Labour Party has changed under my leadership, I mean it.”

Sir Keir went on to describe Mr Ali’s comments as “appalling”, saying: “That is why we took decisive action.”

He added: “It is virtually unprecedented to withdraw support for a candidate in the way that I withdrew support for this candidate yesterday.

“This is what a changed Labour Party is all about.”

On additional allegations, the Labour leader said: “Of course, any allegation will be fully investigated by the party.”

Sir Keir went on to describe his attempts to “ruthlessly change” the Labour Party after an era of allegations of antisemitism.

“I set out four years ago to tear antisemitism out of the Labour Party,” he said. “It’s the first thing I said I’d do as Labour leader and to change our party. 

“I’ve taken a series of decisions along those lines, ruthlessly changing our party.”