LONDON (AFP) - An eighth Labour MP quit the party on Wednesday (Feb 20) in protest against leader Jeremy Corbyn, joining a mounting rebellion sparked by rows over anti-Semitism and Brexit.

Joan Ryan told BBC radio that Mr 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.

Ms 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 Mr Corbyn, a lifelong eurosceptic and supporter of anti-Israel groups, became its leader in 2015.</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>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 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>(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>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.</s>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>Rachel Martin talks to Robert Shrimsley of the Financial Times about the decision of seven Labour members of Parliament to leave their party and start a new political platform: The Independent Group.</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>Speculation is mounting that several Labour MPs could be about to quit the party.

Key figures believed to be on the verge of leaving did not respond to requests for comment.

Former shadow cabinet minister Owen Smith said he was “not commenting” on the rumours, linked to anger over how the party is dealing with Brexit and allegations of anti-Semitism.

Labour MP Stephen Kinnock told BBC Radio 4’s The Westminster Hour on Sunday: “The talk has been going on so long that I say with great regret that yes, there probably will be some kind of splintering.

“It just seems to have been in the rumour mill so long that it’s unlikely that wouldn’t be the outcome.”

On Sunday morning, shadow chancellor John McDonnell said he did not see “any need for anybody to split from the party”.

Mr McDonnell also revealed Labour would “look at” a proposal put forward by backbenchers Peter Kyle and Phil Wilson to back a second Brexit referendum in the next round of Brexit votes on February 27.

Former Labour vice chairman Michael Dugher said at the weekend that he is intending to leave the party, saying he regards it as “institutionally anti-Semitic”.

Mr Dugher, who was elected as MP for Barnsley East in 2010 and left Parliament in May 2017, claimed the party he joined nearly three decades ago “no longer exists”.

He served as vice chairman of the party under Ed Miliband between 2011 and 2014 and later became shadow secretary for transport and culture.

Labour disclosed last week it had received 673 allegations of anti-Semitism by its members over the past 10 months, leading to 12 individuals being expelled.

Writing in the Sun on Sunday, Mr Dugher said the Labour Party had repeatedly failed to “adequately tackle anti-Semitism”.

The now chief executive of UK Music said: “I will continue to have lots of dear friends in the Labour Party, including many talented MPs and hard-working local councillors who are fantastically dedicated public servants.

“Yet in all good conscience, I can no longer justify paying subs to a party which I now regard as institutionally anti-Semitic.”
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.