Ian Austin has become the ninth Labour MP in a week to quit Jeremy Corbyn’s party, claiming there was a “culture of extremism, anti-Semitism and intolerance”.

The Dudley North MP said he was quitting the “broken” party and was “ashamed” of what it had become under Mr Corbyn.

But the former minister said he had no plans to join his eight former colleagues in the Independent Group they established this week.

In an interview with the Express & Star newspaper he said: “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 added that “I could never ask local people to make Jeremy Corbyn prime minister”, and said he was “appalled at the offence and distress” the party had caused to Jewish people.

“It is terrible that a culture of extremism, anti-Semitism and intolerance is driving out good MPs and decent people who have committed their life to mainstream politics,” he said.

“The hard truth is that the party is tougher on the people complaining about anti-Semitism than it is on the anti-Semites.”

Mr Austin added that “the hard left is now in charge of the party” and “I just can’t see how it can return to the mainstream party that won elections and changed the country for the better”.

His resignation follows those of eight other MPs who quit Labour and formed the Independent Group.

But Mr Austin said he had not spoken to the group, which also contains three ex-Tories.

“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. </s> Ninth MP to leave the party this week says he has no plans to join the Independent Group

Ian Austin has become the ninth MP to quit the Labour party this week, although he told his local newspaper he had no plans to join the Independent Group (TIG), founded earlier this week by some former colleagues and Tory defectors.

The MP for Dudley North in the West Midlands has been disaffected with the party leadership for a couple of years and told the Express & Star newspaper there was a “culture of extremism, antisemitism and intolerance” in Labour.

He criticised Jeremy Corbyn and said he did not want the Labour leader to enter Downing Street, saying: “I always tell them the truth and I could never ask local people to make Jeremy Corbyn prime minister.”

Austin, considered to be on the right of the party, holds his seat with a tiny majority of 22 over the Conservatives and has been the MP since 2005. Earlier this month he was included on a list of 30 pro-Brexit MPs said to be facing the threat of deselection. On Friday he said he did not intend to trigger a byelection.

Ian Austin becomes ninth MP to quit Labour - politics live Read more

He has had a series of run-ins with the leadership, most recently on antisemitism, which he said was one of the principal reasons for his resignation.

In 2016 he told Corbyn to “sit down and shut up” and shouted “you’re a disgrace” as the Labour leader criticised the Iraq war in the House of Commons.

Last year Austin was placed under investigation by the party after he became embroiled in a row with the party chairman, Ian Lavery, over the handling of the antisemitism issue in the summer. The investigation was dropped in November, and Austin hit out at the “appalling” handling of the case.

On Friday he said: “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.”

On Friday lunchtime, John McDonnell signalled that he agreed with some of Austin’s concerns. Labour’s shadow chancellor said that he believed that the party was was not tackling antisemitism with enough vigour, a sign that renewed concern about the handling of the issue has reached senior levels.

“We’ve got to be quicker, and we’ve got to be fiercer,” he said. “I think there’s been a lot of listening but not enough action. That’s the problem.”

His resignation follows those of eight other MPs, including Luciana Berger and Chuka Umunna, who quit Labour and formed TIG. They were joined by three Conservatives earlier this week.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Eight Labour MPs who quit to form the Independent Group have been joined by three former Tories. Photograph: Jonathan Brady/PA

But Austin told his local newspaper he had not spoken to TIG. “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.

Unlike them, Austin has been supportive of Brexit and was one of three Labour MPs who voted with Theresa May’s government in support of her deal, which was nevertheless emphatically rejected by 230 votes. Voters in his constituency backed Brexit by 71% in the 2016 referendum.

But Austin did appear to indicate he could work with TIG in the future. He told BBC West Midlands radio: “That’s not what it is about today; I agree with them that the Labour party is broken.”

TIG MPs were quick to react to Austin’s announcement. Berger said: “I fully understand why Ian Austin has come to this difficult and painful decision.” Another, Chris Leslie, said he had “full respect” for Austin.

Austin told the Express & Star that, under Corbyn, Labour had altered. “I think Jeremy Corbyn has completely changed what was a mainstream party into a completely different party with very different values.

“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.”

Play Video 2:27 Tom Watson: Labour must tackle antisemitism to prevent more MPs leaving – video

Party insiders have thought for several days that Austin was the most likely to quit of Labour’s remaining disaffected MPs, although the party leadership will not welcome another day of intense focus on internal divisions.

A 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.”

Labour’s deputy leader, Tom Watson, tweeted: “Very sad to lose another colleague from the Labour team. It’s also personally hard to see a close friend take a decision of this magnitude.”

Khalid Mahmood, the Labour MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, said Austin’s decision to quit the party was “very sad”. “I have known Ian a long time, before we were MPs and he has been a good friend,” he said. “It’s regrettable that he’s done this.”

But the leftwing backbencher Chris Williamson said Austin was “certainly no loss” and that his “frequent ill-tempered outbursts were an embarrassment to the Labour party”. He added: “The truth is he fought the last election under false pretences, using the Labour brand to get re-elected.”

Austin told the BBC he was not calling a byelection because his job wasto be the local MP for Dudley, and said: “I don’t think what people want is another election. I think local people will understand this decision.” </s> Labour MP Ian Austin quits party: I can't ask people to make Corbyn PM

Labour MP Ian Austin quits party: I can't ask people to make Corbyn PM

MP Ian Austin has quit the Labour Party, claiming it is "broken" under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership.

He is not joining the Independent Group of eight former Labour and three Conservative backbenchers, which was launched this week.

:: Which MPs could be next to defect?

The Dudley North MP told his local paper the Express and Star: "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 said he was "appalled" at the distress Mr Corbyn and Labour have "caused 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," he added.

"I respect people in Dudley. I always tell them the truth and I could never ask local people to make him prime minister."

Mr Austin re-won his seat at the last election by 22 votes, is a former government whip under Gordon Brown and was adopted by parents who fled Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia.

Luciana Berger was one of those to quit Labour earlier this week, branding Labour "institutionally antisemitic".

She tweeted saying: "I fully understand why Ian Austin has come to this difficult and painful decision."

A Labour spokesperson said: "We regret that Ian Austin has left the Labour party."

Mr Corbyn claimed in a video statement posted on Twitter earlier this week he was "utterly determined to root out antisemitism from our party and our society".

He went on: "I say again to the Jewish people, both in our party and across the country, we are your allies in the fight against antisemitism.

"Labour is the only party with a deep-rooted history of combating racism."

Mr Corbyn has told all the MPs who have quit this week - Chuka Umunna, Chris Leslie, Ann Coffey, Angela Smith, Gavin Shuker, Mike Gapes, Ms Berger and Mr Austin - to hold by-elections because they were elected on a Labour platform.

But a tweet he sent in 2010 has resurfaced, showing him tell a constituent people vote for their MP - not a "party/ leader".

A spokesperson for Mr Corbyn has not responded to multiple requests for comment on it.

Deputy leader Tom Watson has said this week he sometimes does not "recognise" the Labour Party.

He added after the first splinter that "unless we change, we may see more days like this". </s> Ian Austin has become the 9th MP this week to quit the Labour Party.

The MP for Dudley North is a serial critic of Jeremy Corbyn and had warned this week he could join the tide of centrists ripping up their membership cards.

Today he confirmed the move, telling his local newspaper the Express and Star: "I have become ashamed of the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn.”

But he said he currently ISN'T joining the Independent Group - which disagrees with his views on Brexit .

He added: "I am appalled at the offence and distress Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party have caused to Jewish people,” he said.

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

It comes hours after John McDonnell urged anyone considering resignation to stay in Labour and help "hold the family together".

The Shadow chancellor insisted the Labour leadership is ready to address the 'valid' issues which led eight of the party's MPs to switch to the new Independent Group in Parliament.

He said Labour had not been "severe enough" in dealing with complaints of anti-Semitism and he wanted to see tougher sanctions, including a lifetime ban from membership.

He added there would be an "appropriate sanction" if complaints were upheld against former Militant leader Derek Hatton, who was suspended from the party two days after being readmitted following a 33-year exclusion.

Following the first resignations on Monday, Mr McDonnell promised a "mammoth listening exercise" to address criticisms.

But party chair Ian Lavery prompted anger among Jeremy Corbyn's critics when he addressed a heated meeting of Labour MPs on Monday.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Austin said: “If that’s the response from the leadership, it will make the situation much worse. I think you could see more people considering taking the same course of action.

“I think a lot of people will be reflecting”. </s> Another MP quits Labour blaming Corbyn for creating a culture of extremism and intolerance

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. Mr Corbyn denied claims bullying was rife in Labour, telling Sky News any bad behavior had been dealt with.

Meanwhile, his deputy Tom Watson said Mr Austin's departure was a serious blow to Labour.

A Labour spokesman suggested Mr Austin should stand down and call a by-election in his West Midlands seat, which he won by only 22 votes in 2017. Mr Austin told the Express^& Star newspaper, which first broke news of his resignation, that it was the most difficult decision he had ever had to take.

The MP, who has represented the West Midlands constituency since 2005, later told BBC West Midlands that he was ashamed of the party.

I grew up listening to my dad, who was a refugee from the Holocaust, teaching me about the evils of hatred and prejudice, he said.

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.

Explaining his decision not to call a by-election, Mr Austin said he had been openly critical of Mr Corbyn during the 2017 election campaign.

He said his work for the people in this community is going to carry on as it always has.

Tom Watson, Labor's deputy leader, said he was deeply saddened by his close friend 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, caliber and passion if we are to win, he added.

The Labour leader Corbyn told Sky News: There is no place for harshness, bullying or anything else in the party. I don't believe that it exists on a wide scale. </s> Ian Austin has become the latest MP to quit the Labour Party.

Talking to the Express & Star newspaper, he said the party was "broken" and that he had become "ashamed" of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership, but added that he has no plans to join the Independent Group.

Mr Austin told the local paper: "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."

The Dudley North MP added that he left Labour because of his constituents, saying: "I always tell them the truth and I could never ask local people to make Jeremy Corbyn Prime Minister. </s> An eighth Labour MP has left the party to join the new Independent Group in the House of Commons.

Enfield North MP Joan Ryan, who has spent more than 40 years in the party, described the decision as "terribly difficult".

She tweeted: "After 4 decades, I have made the terribly difficult decision to resign from the Labour Party.

"It is the greatest honour of my life to represent the people of #EnfieldNorth.

"I will continue to represent and speak up for them as a member of the @TheIndGroup of MPs #ChangePolitics."

Gavin Shuker, who quit Labour on Monday, tweeted: "Such respect for Joan. I know how hard this is. But we're building something powerful together."

Yesterday, in a major blow for leader Jeremy Corbyn , seven other Labour MPs quit the party.

Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Shuker, Mike Gapes, Ann Coffey and Chuka Umunna announced their decisions at a press conference in London.

Berger initially introduced herself as "the Labour Party MP", before correcting herself and saying: "I am the Member of Parliament for Liverpool Wavertree".

She said: "This morning we have all now resigned from the Labour Party. This has been a very difficult, painful, but necessary decision.

"We represent different parts of the country, we are of different backgrounds, we were born of different generations, but we all share the same values.

"From today, we will all sit in Parliament as a new independent group of MPs."

Simmering tensions within Labour ranks over Corbyn's approach to leaving the European Union and the party leadership's handling of anti-Semitism allegations have prompted the schism.

Labour leader Corbyn said: "I am disappointed that these MPs have felt unable to continue to work together for the Labour policies that inspired millions at the last election." </s> One of the MPs to resign from the Labour Party tells LBC his former party is "institutionally racist" for failing to deal with anti-Semitism.

Mike Gapes described the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as "rhetorically" anti-racism and that there has been an "organisational failure" to deal with anti-Semitism within the party.

Speaking to LBC's Matthew Thompson, the now-former Labour MP said: "There are senior figures in the party who have been readmitted into membership over recent months, having been suspended because of things they said which were anti-Semitic," he said.

"There's been an organisational failure to get rid off, to expel people, and frankly for me anti-Semitism is something awful and horrible.

"I joined the Labour Party because of my commitment to fight racism and anti-Semitism is racism, and the Labour Party is failing to deal with these issues so it is institutionally anti-Semitism, and therefore racist."

Asked about "The Independent Group", Mr Gapes said that there were "a lot of steps" they need to go through, including a meeting to decide roles between them.

"We hope that other members of Parliament will come and join us so that the seven today will grow over the next few days," he said.

"I think we have all taken a decision based on our own conscience and we know there are other MPs who share our analysis but not yet come to the decision we've come to today."

Seven Labour MPs resigned from the Party and will instead sit as Independent MPs in Parliament.

Luciana Berger, Chuka Umunna, Gavin Shuker, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Mike Gapes and Ann Coffey all resigned from Jeremy Corbyn's party.

They will sit under the title "The Independent Group".

In making the announcement, Ms Berger described the party as "institutionally anti-Semitic" and said she is "embarrassed and ashamed" by the party.

She said: "This morning we have all now resigned from the Labour Party. This has been a very difficult, painful, but necessary decision.

- Labour Split: Chuka Umunna Among Seven MPs To Quit Party </s> Joan Ryan, the MP for Enfield North, became the eighth MP to quit the Labour Party over Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership this week. She joined Chuka Umunna, Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Mike Gapes, Gavin Shuker and Ann Coffey who launched The Independent Group (TIG) on Monday. Explaining why she had left Labour for TIG, Ms Ryan claimed the party had become “infected with the scourge of anti-Jewish racism” under Mr Corbyn.

In a damning resignation letter, she wrote: “I cannot remain a member of the Labour party while this requires me to suggest that I believe Jeremy Corbyn – a man who has presided over the culture of anti-Jewish racism and hatred of Israel that now afflicts my former party – is fit to be prime minister of this country. He is not.” Mr Corbyn’s handling of anti-semitism and Brexit have been the reasons behind all the Labour resignations this week. Increasing numbers of disgruntled party members are rallying against Mr Corbyn’s leadership and party is braced for further defections. Lord Peter Mandelson warned Mr Corbyn he risks a huge split in the party unless he tackles anti-semitism, despite urging Labour members to stay.

The former Labour minister told ITV's Peston: “Now what is Jeremy Corbyn going to do about this? I mean, this risks growing from a splinter into a cavernous split in our party if he doesn't take action to stop it." Will the Labour Party split? What will happen if Jeremy Corbyn stays? The Labour Party is not in danger of splitting right now but the growing number of defections risks alienating Labour supporters at the ballot box, a political expert has warned. Christopher Stafford, Doctoral Researcher in School of Politics and International Relations at University of Nottingham, told Express.co.uk: “The biggest danger posed by The Independent Group and the MPs that defect to it is the damage to the appeal and credibility of Labour that the resignations, and the reasons behind them, may do.

“Corbyn’s leadership and more recently his unclear Brexit stance and his handling of allegations of antisemitism have been subject to much criticism. “These issues have made the party less appealing to some voters and polls have reflected this. “The fact that certain MPs have been prepared to quit the party over such issues may convince more voters that these issues are a serious problem and may make them question if they want to vote Labour in the future.” Jeremy Corbyn has shown no intention to stand down despite the mounting criticism against him.

Last night he appealed to Labour voters and Jewish supporters in a shared video saying he regards the “fight against anti-semitism as an absolute priority”. He also chastised the leaving Labour MPs saying they had “abandoned” their party, adding the “decent and democratic” thing to do would be to put themselves up for election. Should by-elections take place, Mr Stafford said voters will need to decide if their loyalties lie with the MPs who have joined TIG or with the new Labour candidates. He added: “It will all depend on if the relevant constituencies have a strong attachment to their MP as a person or if they voted for them because of the party they stood for originally.”
British MP Ian Austin quits Labour over a "culture of extremism, anti-semitism and intolerance" within the party under Jeremy Corbyn, becoming the ninth Labour MP to quit this week. However, unlike the others, he will not be joining The Independent Group.