Senior Labour MPs rally behind Luciana Berger after no confidence vote tabled
Ed MIliband, Dame Margaret Hodge and Yvette Cooper among senior politicians to offer backing to Jewish Labour MP
Luciana Berger received support from senior Labour MPs including Ed Miliband, Dame Margaret Hodge and Ian Austin – after members of her local party tabled a vote of no confidence in her.
Top Labour MPs rallied behind Luciana Berger after it emerged the Liverpool Wavertree Constituency Labour Party had called an extraordinary meeting for February 17 to discuss two no confidence motions.
The embattled Jewish politician has been highly critical of Corbyn over his handling of antisemitism within the Labour Party as well as his stance on Brexit.
Her comments have seen her face a torrent of abuse from online trolls while she required a police escort at last year’s Labour Party conference after receiving death threats.
Dame Margaret Hodge, who is Jewish and was subject criticism from senior figures in the party after confronting Jeremy Corbyn in parliament and calling him “an antisemite and a racist”, tweeted support. She said: “So unfair and outrageous for my friend Luciana Berger to face no confidence motion. She spearheads campaign to root out anti Semitism, fighting for the moral soul of Labour. Her work on mental health helps Labour stay ahead on this vital issue. Stop this vindictive absurdity now”.
Former leader Ed Miliband said she was a “brilliant, talented person who I am proud to have as a Labour colleague”.
He added: “She is a powerful advocate on mental health and against antisemitism. She should be supported not undermined by everyone throughout our party.”
Yvette Cooper tweeted: “Solidarity with Luciana Berger – a brilliant Labour MP, rightly campaigning against antisemitism both in our party and across the country and one of our most powerful voices campaigning on mental health.
“Entire party should support her.”
Ian Austin MP said “Appalled to hear the brilliant Luciana Berger faces a motion of confidence. She’s led the fight on racism in Labour & no one works harder on mental health campaigns. If Jeremy wants to keep the party together, he must make sure people like Luciana are not targeted & driven out”.
Meanwhile, Wes Streeting said it was “disgraceful. Motions of solidarity should be brought, not motions of no confidence.”
The move against her comes after she joined other MPs at a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party on Monday in calling for details on the party’s efforts to tackle antisemitism to be released.
In a statement, Ms Berger said she believed her constituents would judge her on her record and her efforts to represent them in Parliament.
“I have made no secret that, as a Jewish woman representing a city with a Jewish community, I have been deeply disturbed by the lack of response from Jeremy Corbyn as party leader and many in the wider leadership to the antisemitism that stains our party,” she said.
“I am deeply disturbed at the leadership’s desire to brush this aside and its decision not to comply with the expressed wish of Labour MPs.
“Nothing will deter me from exposing antisemitism wherever it festers, including in the Labour Party where it is being wilfully ignored.”
A Labour Party source said: “Antisemitism is not mentioned in the motion and the motion has no formal standing.
“However, Jeremy Corbyn has made clear that no one should be criticised for speaking out against antisemitism.”
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