The veteran pro-Brexit Labour MP Frank Field has resigned from his party, citing anti-Semitism linked to leader Jeremy Corbyn and “intolerance, nastiness and intimidation” from the hard left.
“It saddens me to say that we are increasingly seen as a racist party. This issue alone compels me to resign the whip,” wrote Mr Field in his resignation letter, blasting Jeremy Corbyn for denying his words and actions have been anti-Semitic.
Mr Field has been the representative for Birkenhead since 1979 and will now serve as an independent, sparking fears that more members of parliament could follow him. More than 35,000 people recently signed a petition calling for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to resign.
The letter, sent to Labour’s chief whip Nick Brown this Thursday and seen by the New Statesman, adds:
“Britain fought the Second World War to banish these [anti-Semetic] views from our politics, but that superhuman effort and success is now under huge and sustained internal attack.”
The second reason cited by the MP is the hostile culture of the hard left in Labour, with him describing “numerous complaints about the thuggish conduct of some members” and “a willful denial”.
The party’s failure to take action “legitimise[s] appalling levels of bullying and intimidation of lifelong Labour supporters”, he claimed.
He specifically discussed the case of controversial Labour councillor Louise Reecejones, calling her behaviour “atrocious” and insisting she is not fit for public office.
He concludes by saying that “great changes in the leadership’s stance” will be needed for him to consider re-joining the Labour Party.
After news of the letter broke, Field told a reporter: “I’m seeing the Chief Whip tomorrow.
“I’m hoping that this action will lead to the Labour Party again becoming the most prominent party against racism. Until then, I am resigning the whip.”
Mr Field has been a consistent supporter of Brexit and has criticised the Labour Party for attacking people concerned about mass immigration, indulging identity politics, and moving away from the interests of the British working class, which the party was founded to represent.
Mr Corbyn has led the Labour Party into a long-running anti-Semitism crisis, which has intensified in recent weeks.
He famously welcomed “friends” from Hezbollah and Hamas – an anti-Semitic Islamist terror group – into parliament and recently admitted attending conferences with Hamas members and a wreath laying at the graves anti-Semitic terrorist plotters.
Footage has also surfaced of him comparing the state of Israel to Nazi Germany – a commonly recognised example of anti-Semitism — and he recently described British ‘Zionists’ as different from other people.
Meanwhile, under his leadership, alleged anti-Semites have spoken alongside him at top party meetings and he has refused to accept the internationally recognised definition of anti-Semitism in Labour’s manifesto.