Keir Starmer indicates there is a way back into the Labour Party for Jeremy Corbyn

Sir Keir Starmer has indicated there is a way back into the Labour Party for Jeremy Corbyn, after the former leader was suspended on Thursday for comments that suggested the scale of anti-Semitism in the party had been exaggerated.

Sir Keir called on Mr Corbyn to “reflect” on his words this week, in which he responded to an Equalities and Human Rights Commission report on Labour anti-Semitism by arguing that the the issue had been “dramatically overstated for political reasons by our opponents”.

On Sunday Sir Keir refused to comment on the ongoing investigation into Mr Corbyn, but said: “The vast majority of people in the Labour Party and the wider Labour movement think that that was the wrong response, and that the right response was to honestly accept the findings, apologise and move forward”.

Asked by the BBC’s Andrew Marr whether there is now a way back into the party for his predecessor, Sir Keir repeated his view that Mr Corbyn should “reflect on what he said”.

The investigation into Mr Corbyn’s comments will now take place independently of the Leader of the Opposition’s Office, after the EHRC’s report specifically criticised the party for “political interference” in disciplinary procedures against members.

Mr Corbyn has also had the Labour whip removed and now sits in Parliament as an independent MP.

He could be allowed back into the party if Labour’s disciplinary machinery reinstates his membership.

This week’s row over his comments came in the wake of the EHRC report’s findings, which said the party had broken equality legislation and was responsible for harassment and discrimination against Jewish people.

Mr Corbyn has always denied that he is an anti-Semite but has repeatedly stated problems under his leadership were exaggerated by his political opponents and the media.

On Sunday Sir Keir stressed there was “no need” for a civil war in the Labour Party in the wake of Mr Corbyn’s suspension.

The Labour leader has already faced calls from Corbynite MPs and the Momentum campaign group to reverse the decision and allow Mr Corbyn back into the party.

“It wasn’t my intention to have a civil war,” Sir Keir told the BBC.

“What happened on Thursday was not what I wanted to happen. I wanted us to be able to constructively move forward.

“I wanted the focus of attention on Thursday to be on the Jewish community, Jewish people who had suffered such pain and anguish through the failure to get to grips with anti-Semitism.

He added: “I’m not going to shirk from disfficult decisions to root out anti-Semitism.”