Joan Ryan has become the eighth Labour MP to quit the party in the past 48 hours, citing a "culture of anti-Jewish racism".

The Enfield North MP said she was "horrified, appalled and angered" by Labour's failure to tackle anti-Semitism, saying its leadership allowed "Jews to be abused with impunity".

Ms Ryan said she did not believe Jeremy Corbyn was fit to lead the country.

Seven MPs quit on Monday to form the Independent Group in Parliament.

Announcing her decision on Twitter, Ms Ryan said she would continue to represent the north London seat in Parliament. </s> (Reuters) - Joan Ryan, a Labour member of parliament, has become the eighth lawmaker to resign from Britain’s main opposition party.

Ryan, a lawmaker elected from Enfield North, said bit.ly/2DTKWhr in a tweet late on Tuesday that she was resigning over concerns about anti-Semitism allegations within the party.

Seven other Labour lawmakers quit on Monday over leader Jeremy Corbyn’s approach to Brexit and a row over anti-Semitism, saying Britain’s main opposition party had been “hijacked by the machine politics of the hard left”. </s> Feb 19 (Reuters) - Joan Ryan, a Labour member of parliament, has become the eighth lawmaker to resign from Britain's main opposition party.

Ryan, a lawmaker elected from Enfield North, said http://bit.ly/2DTKWhr in a tweet late on Tuesday that she was resigning over concerns about anti-Semitism allegations within the party.

Seven other Labour lawmakers quit on Monday over leader Jeremy Corbyn's approach to Brexit and a row over anti-Semitism, saying Britain's main opposition party had been "hijacked by the machine politics of the hard left". </s> LONDON (AP) — An eighth lawmaker has quit Britain's Labour Party over its handling of anti-Semitism and Brexit, boosting a new breakaway group from the U.K.'s main opposition party.

Joan Ryan announced late Tuesday that after four decades in the party she was leaving Labour to sit with the newly formed Independent Group in Parliament.

Ryan said the party had become "infected with the scourge of anti-Jewish racism" under left-wing Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, a longtime supporter of the Palestinians.

Seven Labour legislators quit Monday, accusing Corbyn of failing to stamp out anti-Semitism in the party and of mounting a weak opposition to Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May's plans for leaving the European Union.

The breakaway lawmakers hope to gain members from among disgruntled pro-Europeans in both the Labour and Conservative parties. </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> 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.” </s> An eighth Labour MP has quit the party to join the breakaway Independent Group in protest at Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.

Former minister Joan Ryan, who chaired Labour Friends of Israel, said that Mr Corbyn was not fit to be prime minister and the party had become “infected with the scourge of anti-Semitism” under his leadership.

Her announcement came as Labour launched a consultation on changes to allow voters to force MPs to seek re-election if they swap parties.

The proposed new right to recall comes after the launch on Monday of the Independent Group by seven ex-Labour MPs including former shadow ministers Chuka Umunna, Luciana Berger and Chris Leslie.

Members of the new group have indicated they will resist demands from Labour bigwigs, including John McDonnell, to step down and seek a fresh mandate from voters in a by-election.

Ms Ryan, who has represented Enfield North since 1997 with a break from 2010-15 and served as a minister in Tony Blair’s government, made clear she is hoping for further defections.

In a letter to constituents, she said she hoped her actions would act as a “wake-up call” and “others will join us”.

Ms Ryan said that under Mr Corbyn, Labour had developed a “cult around the leader”, driven by an ” all-consuming narrative founded on rage, betrayal and the hunt for heretics”.

On the issue of anti-Semitism, she said: “I have been appalled and angered by the Labour leadership’s dereliction of duty in the face of this evil.”

And she added: “Jeremy Corbyn has enabled and allowed a toxic culture to develop in too many parts of the Labour Party.

“And I can’t be a part of it any longer. Which is why, with a heavy heart, I have left it.”

With a poll taken on the day after the Independent Group’s launch putting the breakaway MPs on 10% support to Labour’s 26% nationally, Mr Corbyn’s party would be hopeful of seizing back most if not all of the seats in by-election contests.

Although the Independent MPs may benefit from some personal support, all of their constituencies – with the exception of Angela Smith’s Penistone and Stocksbridge and Ms Ryan’s Enfield North – are rock-solid Labour seats which would need a substantial swing to change hands.

In an indication that Labour expects to hold on to much of its support in any by-election, party sources said that one of the key reasons for allowing recall when an MP crosses the floor is because people cast their vote primarily for the party and its platform rather than the candidate.

At present, recall petitions can only be launched in a handful of circumstances, such as a serious breach of parliamentary rules or a criminal conviction. A by-election is forced if the petition is signed by 10% of constituents – usually around 7,000 people – within six weeks.

Labour will consult on extending the principle to cover MPs who switch political allegiance.

Shadow Cabinet Office minister Jon Trickett said: “Power comes from the people but for too long the overwhelming majority have been shut out. That’s why trust in politics and in elites is rightly falling.

“Communities should not have to wait for up to five years to act if they feel their MP is not properly representing their interests, especially with the restrictions of the Fixed Term Parliament Act.

“This proposed reform has the dramatic potential to empower citizens and will be one of many measures the Labour Party is planning to consult on and announce that will change the way politics in this country is done.”

The developments are likely to reignite internal disagreements over the best response to the departure of MPs from the party’s centrist wing with a long record of dissent over Mr Corbyn’s stance on Brexit and his handling of anti-Semitism allegations.

Deputy leader Tom Watson has called for a shadow cabinet reshuffle to better reflect the breadth of opinion in the party and ensure that “all the members of our broad church feel welcome in our congregation”.

At a stormy meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party on Monday, the leadership was repeatedly criticised for failing to deal with the issue of anti-Semitism within the party.

And Mr McDonnell accepted the need for the leadership to carry out a “mammoth, massive listening exercise” to address concerns.

Speaking at a conference of manufacturers in London on Tuesday, Mr Corbyn said he was “disappointed” the seven had decided to leave the party.

“I hope they recognise that they were elected to Parliament on a manifesto that was based around investment in the future, was based around a more equal and fairer society and based around social justice,” he said.

“They were elected to carry out those policies, they decided to go somewhere else and I regret that because I want our party to be strong, I want our party to be united around the policies that we have put forward.”

A Sky Data online poll of 1,034 voters on February 19 put the Independent Group in third place across Britain on 10%, ahead of Liberal Democrats on 9%, Ukip on 6% and the Greens on 4%. Conservatives were leading on 32% to Labour’s 26%.

The poll suggested that the new group could eat into the support of both main parties, with 37% of those who said they would back the IG in an election having voted Labour and 27% Conservative in 2017, while another 24% said they did not vote.

However, translating that level of support into actual votes at the ballot box would require the Group to stand candidates across the country, despite currently having no national structures. </s> An eighth British Labour MP has quit the party to join the breakaway Independent Group in protest at Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.

Former minister Joan Ryan, who chaired Labour Friends of Israel, said Mr Corbyn was not fit to be prime minister and the party had become “infected with the scourge of anti-Semitism” under his leadership.

Her announcement comes amid growing speculation that the group may take some members from the Conservatives.

It came as Labour launched a consultation on changes to allow voters to force MPs to seek re-election if they swap parties.

The proposed new right to recall comes after the launch on Monday of the Independent Group by seven ex-Labour MPs including former shadow ministers Chuka Umunna, Luciana Berger and Chris Leslie.

Members of the new group have indicated they will resist demands from senior Labour figures, including John McDonnell, to step down and seek a fresh mandate from voters in a by-election.

Ms Ryan, who has represented Enfield North since 1997 with a break from 2010-15 and served as a minister in Tony Blair’s government, made clear she is hoping for further defections.

In a letter to constituents, she said she hoped her actions would act as a “wake-up call” and “others will join us”.

Ms Ryan said that under Mr Corbyn, Labour had developed a “cult around the leader”, driven by an “ all-consuming narrative founded on rage, betrayal and the hunt for heretics”.

On the issue of anti-Semitism, she said: “I have been appalled and angered by the Labour leadership’s dereliction of duty in the face of this evil.”

And she added: “Jeremy Corbyn has enabled and allowed a toxic culture to develop in too many parts of the Labour Party.

“And I can’t be a part of it any longer. Which is why, with a heavy heart, I have left it.”

With a poll taken on the day after the Independent Group’s launch putting the breakaway MPs on 10 per cent support to Labour’s 26 per cent nationally, Mr Corbyn’s party would be hopeful of seizing back most if not all of the seats in by-election contests.

Although the Independent MPs may benefit from some personal support, all of their constituencies — with the exception of Angela Smith’s Penistone and Stocksbridge and Ms Ryan’s Enfield North — are rock-solid Labour seats which would need a substantial swing to change hands.

In an indication that Labour expects to hold on to much of its support in any by-election, party sources said that one of the key reasons for allowing recall when an MP crosses the floor is because people cast their vote primarily for the party and its platform rather than the candidate.

At present, recall petitions can only be launched in a handful of circumstances, such as a serious breach of parliamentary rules or a criminal conviction. A by-election is forced if the petition is signed by 10 per cent of constituents — usually around 7,000 people — within six weeks. - PA </s> An eighth Labour MP quit the party on Wednesday in protest against leader Jeremy Corbyn, joining a mounting rebellion sparked by rows over anti-Semitism and Brexit.

Joan Ryan told BBC radio that Corbyn had “introduced or allowed to happen in our party this scourge of anti-Semitism. It has completely infected the party”.

“The other huge problem is that I think Jeremy Corbyn is aiding and abetting a hard Brexit,” she said.

Seven MPs broke with the opposition party on Monday in the biggest split in British politics since 1981.

They will sit as an independent group in parliament for now and have announced plans for a new centrist party.

Ryan said there was a “large number” of Labour MPs who were unhappy with the leadership and that she hoped other party members would join the new Independent Group.

The Sun and ITV reported that up to three Conservative MPs are considering joining the group in what would be a radical shift in Britain’s political landscape.

Britain’s two main parties are badly divided over Brexit and the tensions have come to a head as the March 29 deadline for the country’s departure from the bloc looms.

Labour has also been plagued by claims of anti-Semitism ever since Corbyn, a lifelong eurosceptic and supporter of anti-Israel groups, became its leader in 2015.
Joan Ryan becomes the eighth MP to quit the Labour Party and join The Independent Group, citing a "culture of anti-Jewish racism" within the party as the reason for her departure.