Barrow and Furness MP John Woodcock has quit the Labour Party to sit as an Independent MP in the House of Commons.
In his resignation letter, Woodcock attacked Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, saying he would pose a clear risk to the UKs security if he became prime minister.
Woodcock was suspended from the party in April over allegations that he sent inappropriate text messages to a female former aide. He has denied the claim, which is being investigated by the party.
Woodcock also accused some Labour members of being taken over by the hard left and said the party tolerated anti-Semitism in his resignation letter.
He accused Labour of failing to appoint an independent investigator to rule on his disciplinary case and suggested the process was being manipulated for factional purposes.
People told to avoid London while Euston station is shut for three weekends
A long-time critic of Corbyn, Woodcock said the current Labour Party was not a credible alternative government.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Woodcock has represented the Cumbrian seat since 2010, winning it with a 209 majority last year.
He said: I was elected to put the people of Barrow and Furness first, no matter how difficult or controversial.
I have promised to fight for local jobs, promote a credible alternative government, protect the shipyard and ensure the safety of my constituents through strong defence and national security.
I now believe more strongly than ever that you have made the Labour party unfit to deliver those objectives and would pose a clear risk to UK national security as prime minister.
The party for which I have campaigned since I was a boy is no longer the broad church it has always historically been.
He added: Anti-Semitism is being tolerated and Labour has been taken over at nearly every level by the hard left, far beyond the dominance they achieved at the height of 1980s militancy.
A Labour spokesperson said: Jeremy [Corbyn] thanks John for his service to the Labour party.
The claim that the disciplinary process that led to Woodcock being suspended is rigged against him is entirely false, Labour sources told the Guardian.
Signalman sacked for taking 20-minute break during rush hour
They claim there is no political involvement in internal disciplinary cases, that cases going to the partys sexual harassment panel are anonymised and that the national constitutional committee, which deals with disciplinary matters, is separate from Labours national executive committee.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Corbyn was again criticised by members of his own party yesterday after Labour produced a new code of conduct on tackling anti-Semitism.
Senior MP Dame Margaret Hodge reportedly called the leader a fucking anti-Semite during an angry tirade over the document in the House of Commons.
Advertisement
Advertisement
[contf]
[contfnew]
METRO
[contfnewc]
[contfnewc]