MP Ian Austin has announced his decision to leave the Labour party, saying he is “appalled at the offence and distress Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party have caused to Jewish people”.
The Dudley North MP, who was investigated by Labour last year over comments he made to the party’s chairman about their failure to adopt the internationally recognised definition of antisemitism – a probe that was subsequently dropped – told the Dudley Express and Star: “It is terrible that a culture of extremism, antisemitism and intolerance is driving out good MPs and decent people who have committed their life to mainstream politics.”
The MP said he had no plans to join the Independent Group of 11 parliamentarians who defected from Labour and the Conservatives over the past week.
“The Labour Party has been my life, so this has been the hardest decision I have ever had to take, but I have to be honest and the truth is that I have become ashamed of the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn,” he told the Express and Star.
He said he has always told his constituents the truth, adding he could never ask them to make Mr Corbyn prime minister.
I have decided to leave the Labour Party and I wanted to tell people in Dudley first. https://t.co/IaXSwDry06
— Ian Austin (@IanAustinMP) February 22, 2019
He said he was disgusted at the treatment of MPs including Luciana Berger and Margaret Hodge, who had taken a stand against antisemitism but had suffered horrendous abuse from members as a result.
He said: “I think Jeremy Corbyn has completely changed what was a mainstream party into a completely different party with very different values.
“The hard left is now in charge of the party, they’re going to get rid of lots of decent mainstream MPs and I just can’t see how it can return to the mainstream party that won elections and changed the country for the better.”
Jewish Leadership Council Chair Jonathan Goldstein said: “I want to commend the courage of my friend Ian Austin. Today he took the brave and difficult step in leaving the Labour Party.
"Ian, the son of a Holocaust survivor, has been unflinching in his support against growing antisemitism in this country.
"The Labour Party has forced allies like Ian and Joan to choose between their British values and anti-racism and a narrow partisanship that promotes anti-Jewish racism. They are both on the right side of history in saying loudly and clearly that neither of them will continue to be bystanders to the hate emanating from the Labour leadership.”
