Alastair Campbell's Labour expulsion 'will be reviewed' says Shami Chakrabarti

The decision to expel Alastair Campbell from the Labour party "will be reviewed", a shadow Cabinet minister has said.

Shami Chakrabarti said "there'll now be a review" of the decision to cast out Tony Blair's ex-spin doctor for five years for voting Lib Dem in the EU elections.

It comes after a huge backlash in the party, with deputy leader Tom Watson branding the decision "spiteful", other grandees saying they voted Lib Dem and

ITV today reported Cherie Blair - the wife of former PM Tony - also voted Lib Dem in the EU elections and is "happy for it to be known."

Labour sources told the Mirror Mr Campbell Yet sources would not say who triggered the "automatic" process to expel him.

Shadow Attorney General Baroness Chakrabarti told the BBC: "Both main parties have these sort of automatic exclusionary rules for people who express public support for other parties.

Tony Blair's former spin doctor was booted out of Labour for voting Lib Dem (PA)

"They’re a bit automatic. But now there’ll be a review, which is appropriate.”

Asked if this meant of Alastair Campbell’s case she said: “Yes, yes."

Baroness Chakrabarti said "I don't want to cut across this review, I'm not part of this process" but added: "I would not like to see this drag on.”

Sources suggested the Labour peer may have been referring simply to the standard internal appeal process within Labour.

There is a a 14-day window in which Mr Campbell can provide evidence that he was not ineligible for membership.

Since he was excluded, lawyers and insiders including Blairite peer Lord Falconer have said Mr Campbell did not actually break the rules.

Mr Campbell - pictured left in 1995 - had a 14-day window to appeal the decision, and it's thought the peer may have simply been referring to that (PA)

Baroness Chakrabarti today backed that view, saying: "Merely voting for another party is not in itself a grounds for exclusion or expulsion or anything like that.

"I want the large numbers of people who did that last week for heartfelt reasons to rest assured.”

She added: "Political parties have rules about people who support other parties, but I hope this case will be reviewed.”

But she stopped short of saying Mr Campbell should be allowed back into the party.

She said: "I think that will depend on what he says about his intentions."