Yesterday, 15 Labour councillors and former councillors left the party. Published for the first time here is the full text of their letter, leaving the party
Dear Sir,
We are Labour councillors and former Labour councillors. We have, after many years of dedicated membership, resigned from the Labour Party. We are writing to express our support for the former Labour MPs over their decision to resign and establish the Independent Group. Having witnessed up close the hard-left takeover of Labour, we believe that their harsh, uncompromising and dogmatic approach to politics poses a genuine threat.
In the last three years, we have seen hard-left campaigns destroy efforts by Labour councils to help our communities. Local authorities have faced impossible financial pressure and a growing demand for social care and housing. Many Labour councillors have been prepared to look beyond the state for solutions. All too often, this has resulted in them being subjected to fierce and dishonest campaigns from within the Labour Party membership. This leads us to believe a hard-left Labour government would severely harm the economy, threatening local services.
In the last three and a half years, the atmosphere within the Labour Party has changed beyond all recognition. A culture of bullying, intimidation and hostility towards Jewish people becoming common-place. Having seen this unfold locally we now believe Labour, in its current form, poses a direct threat, economically, socially, and culturally, should it ever come to power. Britain is facing huge challenges in the months and years ahead, not least due to Brexit. To have any chance of meeting those challenges, politics need to change. We therefore welcome the new Independent Group.’
Yours,
Cllr Warren Morgan, Former Leader, Brighton & Hove City Council
Cllr Rowan Draper, Stafford Borough Council
Cllr Dany Louise, Hastings Borough Council
Cllr Frances Weetman, North Tyneside Council
Cllr Jess Brayne, London Borough of Barnet
Cllr Danny Hackett, London Borough of Bexley
Cllr John Ferrett, Portsmouth City Council
Jon Clempner, former Leader of Labour Group, Harlow District Council
David Sullivan, former Leader, Lewisham Borough Council
Ken Ferrett, former Councillor, Portsmouth City Council
Aiden Gray, former Councillor, Portsmouth City Council
Stephen Brimble, former Councillor, Exeter City Council
Adam Langleben, former Councillor, London Borough of Barnet
James Patterson, former Councillor, London Borough of Haringey
Tags: anti-semitism, bullying, hard left, Jeremy Corbyn, Labour councillors, The Independent Group
This is not a win for any part of the Labour Party. JC must bring the party together – reaching out to the moderate MPs – if he fails to do this he will, in the end, be the biggest looser
I am please thar Lord Falconer has been appointed to look at this antisemitism issue.
A good interview from Tom Watson on the Andrew Marr Shaw.
In the middle of 2018 Nicky Campbell on his 5 live morning show said “Jeremy Corbyn doesn’t have an anti-semitic bone in his body”.
Its true that he likes some Jewish people – those that agree with him but he has paved the way for Labour’s anti-semitic problems together with the children in Momentum.
The sooner Corbyn is replaced and Labour disassociates itself with Momentum we will get back a credible opposition and one that can challenge effectively.
Vern – it wasn’t Corbyn that halved the membership and lost million of votes , it wasn’t Corbyn that lost Scotland, it wasn’t Corbyn that lost 30+ seats in 2015 ..It was the so called credible labour party.
Under NL this party was heading for the abyss .
Thank god for omov. Corbyn won easily across all sections of the party twice something you fail to understand or accept – A Democratic Socialist Party.
Bye-bye Blairite stooges. What a shower
Greggo the quote loat Scotland and lost 30 seats under credible
Under NL was heading for the abyss
But ed Miliband wasn’t new labour
Find it odd that those who lost 5.6million votes between 1955-1983 blamed the SDP and the electorate for not voting labour, but yes Labour did lose millions of votes under blair and Brown , but Blair those running It, but won’t take the blame for the votes lost in 1983