Lawmaker resigns over racism issue

AN MP for Britain’s opposition Labour Party has resigned, accusing leader Jeremy Corbyn of allowing anti-Semitism to flourish in the party.

Louise Ellman warned that, with a possible general election upcoming, a Corbyn premiership could pose a “threat” to the country.

Her resignation comes months after several MPs resigned over Labour’s stance on Brexit and the leadership’s handling of accusations of anti-Semitism within the party.

Ellman, 73, said she would not join another party and hoped she could return to her “political home” in the Labour Party under a different leadership.

“I believe that Jeremy Corbyn is not fit to serve as our Prime Minister,” Ellman said in a statement she posted to Twitter Wednesday.

“With a looming general election and the possibility of him becoming Prime Minister, I feel I have to take a stand,” added Ellman, who has been a Labour Party member for 55 years.

“Under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, antisemitism has become mainstream in the Labour party. Jewish members have been bullied, abused and driven out.

“Antisemites have felt comfortable and vile conspiracy theories have been propagated. A party that permits anti-Jewish racism to flourish cannot be called anti-racist.

“The Labour Party is no longer a safe place for Jews and Jeremy Corbyn must bear the responsibility for that.

“We cannot allow him to do to the country what he has done to the Labour party.”

Labour has been shaken by accusations of antiSemitism ever since Corbyn, a lifelong supporter of Palestinian causes, took over in 2015.