The Party's Over
The resignation of Labour's Ian Austin takes the number of MPs who have resigned over Jeremy Corbyn's leadership to nine - with more likely to follow in the days ahead.
Jeremy Corbyn has called on his resigning MPs to show loyalty to the Labour Party voters who elected them.
Yet Corbyn himself shows no sign of standing up for the majority of Labour supporters who want a People's Vote on the final terms of Brexit.
https://www.expressandstar.com/news/politics/2019/02/22/exclusive-ian-austin-mp-latest-to-quit-broken-labour-party/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47330079
Ian Austin quits Labour blaming Jeremy Corbyn's leadership
Image copyright - PA
Ian Austin has become the ninth MP to quit Labour this week, blaming leader Jeremy Corbyn for "creating a culture of extremism and intolerance".
He told the BBC the leadership had failed to tackle anti-Semitism and had turned the party into a "narrow sect".
But the MP for Dudley North said he had no plans to join the new Independent Group of former Labour and Tory MPs.
Labour deputy leader Tom Watson said it was a "serious blow". The party called on Mr Austin to face a by-election.
A spokesman expressed regret about his decision but said: "He was elected as a Labour MP and so the democratic thing is to resign his seat and let the people of Dudley decide who should represent them."
News of Mr Austin's resignation was first broken by the Express & Star newspaper.
The MP told BBC West Midlands minutes later that his "work for the people in this community is going to carry on as it always has", and that he had been an open critic of Mr Corbyn when he was elected in 2017.
Ian Austin has become the ninth MP to quit Labour this week, blaming leader Jeremy Corbyn for "creating a culture of extremism and intolerance".
He told the BBC the leadership had failed to tackle anti-Semitism and had turned the party into a "narrow sect".
But the MP for Dudley North said he had no plans to join the new Independent Group of former Labour and Tory MPs.
Labour deputy leader Tom Watson said it was a "serious blow". The party called on Mr Austin to face a by-election.
A spokesman expressed regret about his decision but said: "He was elected as a Labour MP and so the democratic thing is to resign his seat and let the people of Dudley decide who should represent them."
News of Mr Austin's resignation was first broken by the Express & Star newspaper.
The MP told BBC West Midlands minutes later that his "work for the people in this community is going to carry on as it always has", and that he had been an open critic of Mr Corbyn when he was elected in 2017.
An MP since 2005, Mr Austin said: "This is the most difficult decision I've ever had to take but I've taken it because I've become ashamed of the Labour Party.
"I grew up listening to my dad, who was a refugee from the Holocaust, teaching me about the evils of hatred and prejudice.
"One of the main reasons I joined the Labour Party as a teenager here in Dudley more than 35 years ago was to fight racism and I could never have believed I would be leaving the Labour party because of racism too."
Mr Watson, who recently said he "no longer recognises" the party he was elected deputy leader of in 2015, said he was "deeply saddened" by his close friend's decision to leave.
"I didn't want him to go, not just because he is a friend but because Labour needs people of his experience, calibre and passion if we are to win," he added.
"I grew up listening to my dad, who was a refugee from the Holocaust, teaching me about the evils of hatred and prejudice.
"One of the main reasons I joined the Labour Party as a teenager here in Dudley more than 35 years ago was to fight racism and I could never have believed I would be leaving the Labour party because of racism too."
Mr Watson, who recently said he "no longer recognises" the party he was elected deputy leader of in 2015, said he was "deeply saddened" by his close friend's decision to leave.
"I didn't want him to go, not just because he is a friend but because Labour needs people of his experience, calibre and passion if we are to win," he added.
'Zero tolerance'
Khalid Mahmood, Labour MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, called Mr Austin's decision to quit the party "very sad".
But he said Labour under Mr Corbyn was "doing its best" on anti-Semitism, and was operating a "zero-tolerance" policy on the issue.
"On that basis, we should move forward, together," he said.
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Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has said Labour needs to carry out a "mammoth listening exercise" to address criticism from the party's MPs.
"If it is about the style of the leadership, we'll address that," he said this week. "If it is about policy, we will listen to that as well."
Several MPs have criticised the party's stance on Brexit, with Treasury spokesman Clive Lewis warning of "severe" ramifications if the party was seen to facilitate a "Tory Brexit".
Mr Austin was a minister for regional affairs under Gordon Brown and part of Ed Miliband's front-bench team in opposition.
He said he "agreed" with the eight MPs who left Labour to form the Independent Group earlier this week that things "have got to change".
However, he wants a Brexit deal concluded, rather than a further referendum on EU membership.
While Mr Austin did not rule out joining the group, he told BBC Radio 5 Live he was "not anticipating doing that any time soon".
One of the defectors Luciana Berger, who has described the party as "institutionally anti-Semitic", tweeted that she fully understood why he had come to "this difficult and painful decision".
Another, Chuka Umunna, tweeted his "massive respect" to Mr Austin, adding: "It's painful and hard but he has stayed true to his values and what he believes to be the national interest."
Khalid Mahmood, Labour MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, called Mr Austin's decision to quit the party "very sad".
But he said Labour under Mr Corbyn was "doing its best" on anti-Semitism, and was operating a "zero-tolerance" policy on the issue.
"On that basis, we should move forward, together," he said.
Labour: 673 anti-Semitism reports in 10 months
Corbyn's Labour 'an ally' - Jewish group
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has said Labour needs to carry out a "mammoth listening exercise" to address criticism from the party's MPs.
"If it is about the style of the leadership, we'll address that," he said this week. "If it is about policy, we will listen to that as well."
Several MPs have criticised the party's stance on Brexit, with Treasury spokesman Clive Lewis warning of "severe" ramifications if the party was seen to facilitate a "Tory Brexit".
Mr Austin was a minister for regional affairs under Gordon Brown and part of Ed Miliband's front-bench team in opposition.
He said he "agreed" with the eight MPs who left Labour to form the Independent Group earlier this week that things "have got to change".
However, he wants a Brexit deal concluded, rather than a further referendum on EU membership.
While Mr Austin did not rule out joining the group, he told BBC Radio 5 Live he was "not anticipating doing that any time soon".
One of the defectors Luciana Berger, who has described the party as "institutionally anti-Semitic", tweeted that she fully understood why he had come to "this difficult and painful decision".
Another, Chuka Umunna, tweeted his "massive respect" to Mr Austin, adding: "It's painful and hard but he has stayed true to his values and what he believes to be the national interest."
