Howard Beckett: Patel laws 'disgusting' says union boss after Labour suspension - BBC News
Unite leadership contender Howard Beckett apologises for tweet about home secretary but stands by criticism.
Howard Beckett is standing to be the next Unite general secretary

The home secretary's immigration policies are "disgusting", union official Howard Beckett has said following his suspension from Labour.

The suspension came after the Unite assistant general secretary tweeted that Priti Patel "should be deported".

Mr Beckett later apologised to Ms Patel and deleted the post.

But he told Sky News his suspension was "completely inappropriate" and insisted he would not pull out of the race to lead Unite.

He added that he had not received any notice of his suspension from Labour, but had found out about the move on social media.

He also said Labour was becoming "the party of the establishment" and accused party leader Sir Keir Starmer of failing to "show leadership".

While suspended from the party Mr Beckett is not allowed to take up his place on Labour's ruling body.

He sits as a union representative on Labour's National Executive Committee - a role that requires membership of the party.

Mr Beckett is a candidate in the race to succeed longstanding leader Len McCluskey at Unite, one of Labour's biggest financial backers.

His tweet was a response to the Home Office detaining two Indian immigrants in Glasgow on Thursday over "suspected immigration offences".

The Home Office defended its actions, saying: "The UK government is tackling illegal immigration and the harm it causes, often to the most vulnerable people by removing those with no right to be in the UK."

In his now-deleted twitter message, Mr Beckett wrote: "Priti Patel should be deported, not refugees. She can go along with anyone else who supports institutional racism. She is disgusting."

In a later apology posted on Twitter, he said: "My earlier tweet, deleted after half an hour, was never intended to be literal."

"My intention was to emphasise that racist policies should be rejected and have no place in society," he added.

"The wording was wrong, offensive and I apologise unreservedly to Priti Patel. No-one should be deported."

Speaking to Sky News, he said his language had been "inappropriate" adding: "I don't look at Priti Patel and see her migrant background and colour of her skin, I look at Priti Patel and I see a racist agenda, the racist policies that are being carried out, the institutional racism that is now becoming the norm in society."

He added: "I don't have a racist bone in my body."

A Labour spokesperson had earlier said it was taking the matter "extremely seriously" and pledged "appropriate action will be taken".

Conservative MP Steve Baker said it was "an extraordinary, absolutely intolerable remark" which must have a "robust response" from Labour.

The BBC has contacted Unite for a comment.