BBC host Jonathan Dimbleby confronted Baroness Smith on Labour's aversion to adopting a second Brexit referendum as party strategy. Labour defectors earlier this week cited the uncertainty about a people's vote as one of the reasons fuelling their decision to quit the party in addition to ongoing accusations of Anti-Semitism. The BBC Any Questions? presenter said: "Your party leader has, so far, accepted in principle but has set his face politically against having a second referendum or a people’s vote.

"There are many in your party – those who have left, some of them, have said that is a core reason. Do you believe that he has to move to a people’s vote or to accept it as part of not holding, in your view, the country to ransom? "How long do you go on considering it before you put it on the table?" Among the prominent MPs who defected to the Independent Group was Chuka Umunna, a prominent supporter of the People's Vote campaign. Colleagues Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Gavin Shuker and Mike Gapes also quit Labour on Monday. Baroness Smith insisted the party had decided to keep the option of a new vote on the final terms of the Brexit deal available but would only announce officially backing the option if the deal Theresa May is set to propose is once again rejected in the Commons. READ MORE: BBC audience HOLLERS at prospect of second Brexit vote - 'Some support for that!

The Labour peer said: "It has already been said. Our conference resolution made it absolutely clear it’s one of the things that has to be considered. It can’t be taken off the table. "We need to see the deal. It would have been done before now but you need to see the deal from the Prime Minister. "When she brings something back and that’s voted down then I think that’s where it’s going to head. I’m not sure yet there is a majority in the House of Commons for a second referendum but if it’s that or no deal – and there’s two motions coming up in the Commons." Baroness Smith said the party would make their position clear on a new vote after the amendments – the Cooper-Letwin amendment trying to pressure Mrs May into requesting a Brexit delay, and the Kyle amendment proposing a second referendum – are voted on. She added: "Give MPs the opportunity to vote on those then we can move on. But at the moment the Prime Minister trying to stop Parliament voting is what’s causing delay and the hold-up."

Jeremy Corbyn rejected criticism about his leadership from the defecting members, suggesting the newly independent MPs should allow their voters to reconfirm their seats in a by-election. The opposition leader said: “They have decided to resign from the party and form their own group. “I think they owe it to the people that elected them in the first place that perhaps they should put their offer back to the people in those constituencies and have a by-election, to decide whether they want them to be their MP or not. They were elected on the same manifesto as me.” Mr Corbyn also rejected claims by deputy leader Tom Watson who said there was a problem with a “small number” of “racist bullies”. Former minister Ian Austin, who quit on Friday, said he was "ashamed" of the party which had developed a "culture of extremism, anti-Semitism and intolerance" under Mr Corbyn. Speaking after Mr Austin’s resignation, the Labour leader strongly denied there was a widespread problem. He 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. Where there is bad behaviour we deal with it. Where there is a problem we deal with it."</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>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>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>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>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>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>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 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.
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.