MP Lewis quits Labour

LABOUR MP Ivan Lewis has quit the party over Jeremy Corbyn’s failure to tackle antisemitism in its ranks, saying he could not reconcile his “Jewish identity with current Labour politics”.

Mr Lewis, the veteran Jewish MP for Bury South, attacked Mr Corbyn’s hostility to Israel, saying the Labour leader should be “honest and acknowledge your preference is that there should only be a state of Palestine”.

He also claimed Mr Corbyn fired him as a shadow minister in September 2015 by text message, after Mr Lewis sought a meeting with him to discuss antisemitism.

“It is for others to determine whether you are antisemitic but what is absolutely clear is that you and [Mr Corbyn’s spokesman] Seamus Milne do not believe in the right of the Jewish people to self-determination in their own state,” Mr Lewis wrote.

“This is different to your view on the right to self-determination in for every other minority community…

“All too often you have been unwilling to condemn those whose hatred of Israel becomes Jew-hatred. This is incompatible with being a lifelong campaigner against racism.”

Mr Lewis, who served as International Development Minister under Gordon Brown, was suspended from the party last year over allegations of sexual harassment.

In his letter, he said he had “made it clear” to the party in October he was considering resigning, prompting the party’s disciplinary body — National Constitution Committee (NCC) — to move the case against him forward.

He said: “This followed political control of the NCC passing to your supporters. This is a process which is flawed and subject to political manipulation.

“I have made it clear that I strongly refute the charges which have been made and I am willing to co-operate with a truly independent process.”

A Labour spokesperson said: “Jeremy Corbyn thanks Ivan for his service to the Labour Party. The Labour Party takes all complaints of sexual harassment extremely seriously, which are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures and appropriate disciplinary action taken.

Mr Lewis said he would continue to represent Bury South as an independent MP.

I cannot reconcile my Jewish identity with Labour politics