A Jewish Labour MP has quit the party after more than 50 years because she thinks Jeremy Corbyn would be “a danger to the country” if he became prime minister.
Dame Louise Ellman said she had also concluded that Corbyn would be a “danger to the Jewish community” given the “growth of anti-Semitism” in the party since he was elected leader.
Ellman, 73, told the Times: “There is certainly a possibility, if not a likelihood, that Jeremy Corbyn could become prime minister, and this means I’ve had to face taking a decision.
“I believe that Jeremy Corbyn would be a danger to the country, a danger to the Jewish community as well, but a danger to the country too.
“In that situation I do not wish to stand as a Labour MP, asking people to vote for Jeremy Corbyn as prime minister. So I have come to the conclusion that I have to resign.”
The Liverpool Riverside MP, who was facing the prospect of a trigger ballot which could have seen her eventually deselected, attacked the Labour leader’s “intense hostility” towards Israel which “then spills over into anti-Semitism [and] would make a Corbyn-led government deeply troubling for the Jewish community but also for society as a whole, because racism affects everybody”.
Asked if she believed that he was an anti-Semite, she said: “I don’t know what’s in his heart. I suspect he thinks he’s an anti-racist and can’t emotionally accept he could be an anti-Semite.
“But the fact is he has presided over the growth of anti-Semitism in the Labour Party and making anti-Semitism almost mainstream within the party. And that’s a dreadful position to be in.”
Ellman added: “I see no indication at all that he as leader recognises his responsibility for what’s happening, or indeed wants to do anything about it.
“I see no contrition, no recognition of his role in this terrible situation.”
Labour MP Wes Streeting claimed Corbyn knew Ellman was being “hounded out” of the party.
“Labour’s leader knew what was happening to Louise,” he said.
“He was warned that another Jewish woman was being hounded out of the parliamentary party.
“He was asked to intervene. He chose not to. This is what institutional racism looks like, (Corbyn).”
A Labour Party spokesperson said: “Jeremy Corbyn thanks Louise Ellman for her service to the Labour Party over many years.
“Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour party are fully committed to the support, defence and celebration of the Jewish community and continue to take robust action to root out anti-Semitism in the party and wider society.
“Jeremy Corbyn has consistently supported struggles for human rights and justice around the world and made the right calls in the interests of security and peace.”
Reacting to Ellman’s resignation, Labour MP Lisa Nandy said: “It is hard to explain how painful this is.
“I know Louise will have thought so hard before taking this decision. So much is at stake. We cannot allow this to continue.”
Party colleague Dame Margaret Hodge said: “Absolutely devastated that
(Ellman) feels that she no longer has a place in the Labour party.
“Louise has given decades of her life to public service and having known her for nearly forty years I am proud to call her a close friend.
“This is a huge loss to the Labour Party.”
Tory cabinet minister Therese Coffey praised Ellman for showing “a lot of courage”.
Liberal Democrat MP Chuka Umunna, who defected from Labour via Change UK, said: “Louise is a wonderful parliamentarian, a great constituency MP and an all round lovely person.
“She has been treated in the most disgraceful way by Labour.
“What she has said shames the party and, most of all, it’s terrible leader.
“Big respect and solidarity with Louise.”