Ian Austin: Labour MP becomes ninth to quit party this week, but will not join Independent Group

Labour MP Ian Austin has become the latest MP to quit the “broken” party in protest over its handling of antisemitism.

The Dudley North MP is the ninth politician to resign from Labour over the direction of the party in recent days, but said he has no plans to join the newly formed Independent Group.

Mr Austin, who is the adopted child of Jewish refugees, has frequently attacked Jeremy Corbyn over antisemitism, and was embroiled in a heated row with Labour chair Ian Lavery last year over the party’s code of conduct on anti-Jewish hate.

“The Labour Party has been my life, so this has been the hardest decision I have ever had to take, but I have to be honest and the truth is that I have become ashamed of the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn,” he told his local newspaper, the Express & Star.

He added: “I am appalled at the offence and distress Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party have caused to Jewish people.

“It is terrible that a culture of extremism, antisemitism and intolerance is driving out good MPs and decent people who have committed their life to mainstream politics.

“The hard truth is that the party is tougher on the people complaining about antisemitism than it is on the antisemites.”

Mr Austin, who has been an MP since 2005, said he believed Labour had completely changed under Mr Corbyn’s leadership.

“The hard left is now in charge of the party, they’re going to get rid of lots of decent mainstream MPs and I just can’t see how it can return to the mainstream party that won elections and changed the country for the better,” he said.

The 53-year-old said he had not spoken to the Independent Group, which consists of eight Labour MPs and former Tories Anna Soubry, Sarah Wollaston and Heidi Allen.

“I think the Labour Party is broken and clearly things have to change, but that’s not what today is about, and I’ve not talked to them about that,” he said.

Deputy leader Tom Watson expressed his sadness at Mr Austin’s departure.

He said: “I did not 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.

“There is no point in denying that his departure is a serious blow to my party. His resignation ends a week of turmoil in British politics that we all must reflect on.”

Both Labour and the Tories have been braced for fresh defections after a turbulent week, with Mr Austin among those tipped as likely to jump ship.

However, the Independent Group’s anti-Brexit stance is at odds with Mr Austin’s views. He was one of three Labour MPs to vote for Theresa May’s Brexit deal during the meaningful vote in January.

Mr Corbyn has called on the Labour quitters to “do the decent and democratic thing” and submit to by-elections in their constituencies.

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “We regret that Ian Austin has left the Labour Party.

“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.”