BRIGHTON MPs have slammed YouTube after it reportedly deleted the account of Novara Media with "no warning or explanation".

The channel was removed at around 11.40am prompting a discussion on social media, with left-wing MPs jumping to Novara’s defence.

Brighton MPs Lloyd Russell-Moyle and Caroline Lucas posted on Twitter in support of the channel.

Mr Russell-Moyle, the Labour MP for Kemptown, slammed the website's decision to remove Novara Media.

He said: “This is an attack, without warning, on one of UKs premier left wing media orgs. An attack on free speech and a trend to censor left by mainstream media organisations/platforms.

"I hope that @Google and @YouTube urgently review and reverse this decision. Solidarity to @novaramedia."

While Ms Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion said: "This is an outrage. Youtube must explain themselves immediately - and if they don't they can expect to be hearing from MPs from across the political spectrum #reinstatenovara."

The channel has now been reinstated and Novara are calling for a "step-by-step explanation" as to why and how the deletion happened.

It thanked its supporters for calling for the reinstatement.

A statement from Novara Media earlier today said: “This morning the Novara Media YouTube channel was deleted without warning or explanation.

“Novara Media is among the top 50 most watched news and politics channels in the UK.

“We play an important public service role and regularly feature interviews with politicians, human rights campaigners, scientists and activists around the world. We are also regulated by IMPRESS in the UK.”

The media group is an independent, left-wing alternative news channel founded in 2011 by James Butler and Aaron Bastani.

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