Frank Field says he could trigger a by-election after quitting as a Labour MP
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Loading... - Giulia Falcone
- 31 Aug 2021
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Frank Field says he could trigger a by-election after he dramatically quit as Labour MP
The veteran politician, who has represented Birkenhead on Merseyside for almost 40 years, is set for a crunch meeting with Labour’s chief whip after dramatically quitting as a Labour MP.
His departure has sparked warnings other MPs may also leave, causing the party to split.
He told BBC Breakfast: "Over the next few days, that's clearly a question I will have to think about.
"I'm not thinking about it now. It's a big enough step to have to resign the whip.
"Once things settle down from that, I will obviously make a decision on whether I should have a by-election or not and whether it's proper for me."
Mr Field said he had resigned in protest at Jeremy Corbyn ’s stance on anti-semitism and the “sheer thuggery and blatant bullying” in his local party.
He also said his complaints to the national party about it had been “met with silence” and such behaviour “is a cause for shame and is unacceptable” to him.
He will meet chief whip Nick Brown today to discuss whether he can keep his Labour Party membership.
Labour MP Wes Streeting said Mr Field “won’t be the last” to resign.
He said: “Antisemitism and the toxic political culture in the Labour Party are issues that need to be immediately addressed by the Labour leadership if they’re to stop this becoming a full-scale existential crisis of the Labour Party.
“I’ve made very clear that I’m not about to leave the Labour Party because of these people, but I’m afraid Frank Field isn’t the first Labour MP to quit and at this rate he won’t be the last.
“It would be an absolute tragedy if the Labour Party were to split, but we should be in no doubt that this is the biggest crisis facing the party since 1981.”
Labour MP Neil Coyle said the party could not ignore Field’s resignation.
In a swipe at Momentum, who cheered Field’s resignation, he said: “Anyone cheering his departure from Labour does not want or even pretend to care about a Labour Government.
“This is a massive decision. We can pretend everything is hunky-dory and tickety-boo and carry on regardless, or we can get on with tackling the problem,” he said.
