Dame Louise Ellman, the MP for Liverpool Riverside, has said the prospect of Jeremy Corbyn becoming prime minister prompted her to quit Labour after his “extremely distressing” stance on antisemitism within the party.

Explaining her decision to leave, Ellman, who is one of the longest-serving Jewish MPs in the Commons, said: “It is very clear that Jeremy Corbyn as head of the Labour party has really struggled to accept that there’s any such thing as antisemitism within the Labour party.”

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Ellman was asked why she was quitting now, after she was elected as an MP with Corbyn as leader in 2017 and previously stating she would stay in the party to fight antisemitism.

She said: “In 2017, it didn’t look as if Jeremy would become the prime minister … But I think we’re now in a very different place. A general election is looming.”

She added: “Under Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour party has become a very extreme and uncomfortable place with no room for dissent. The Equality and Human Rights Commission is conducting a statutory investigation into the Labour party to establish whether it is institutionally antisemitic.

“This is extremely distressing. I find it very traumatic. And I think it does mean that the Labour party under Jeremy Corbyn is simply not fit.”

She appeared to rule out defecting from Labour to the Liberal Democrats as her friend and fellow Jewish Liverpool MP Luciana Berger did this year.

Ellman said she hoped to return to the Labour party but only under a new leader. “I can’t stay in the Labour party under its current leadership. But I hope that under a different leadership I can return to my political home.”

In a caustic resignation letter Ellman accused Corbyn of failing to tackle antisemitism.

I have made the truly agonising decision to leave the Labour Party after 55 years. I can no longer advocate voting Labour when it risks Corbyn becoming PM. I will continue to serve the people of Liverpool Riverside as I have had the honour to do since 1997. pic.twitter.com/3BTzUacZvo — Louise Ellman MP (@LouiseEllman) October 16, 2019

In her interview on Today she repeated that criticism but also broadened it to suggest that female MPs had become particularly vulnerable to deselection after trigger ballots of their local parties under Corbyn’s leadership.

Ellman, who has faced deselection efforts from members of her Liverpool Riverside constituency, said: “There does seem to be something about targeting women. Look at what’s happened to Luciana Berger, my friend and neighbour has already been hounded out of the Labour party.

“The longstanding terrific MP Margaret Hodge is now facing her own trigger ballot and fighting for re-selection. Ruth Smeeth is in the Labour party and has suffered bullying and harassment. Diana Johnson in Hull, a brilliant MP, is also facing deselection. So there is something about women in the Labour party and I’m very sad to see this.”

Following Ellman’s resignation, a Labour 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 antisemitism 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.”

Several senior Labour MPs expressed distress at Ellman’s decision and what it reflected about the party’s stance on antisemitism.

Stella Creasy told BBC’s Newsnight programme that Ellman’s resignation “shames us all”.

Pat McFadden said Ellman’s departure was a “tragedy” and urged the party “to confront the world view that has created the permissive environment for this antisemitism”.

If Labour is ever to deal with the anti semitism which has driven great people like @LouiseEllman out of it, it will have to confront the world view that has created the permissive environment for this anti semitism. It is a tragedy that she is gone. https://t.co/jA76CEb4Zq — Pat McFadden (@patmcfaddenmp) October 17, 2019

Lucy Powell said Ellman’s decision was a sad reflection on Labour.

I’m so so sorry you’ve reached this decision which I know will have been incredibly hard for you having served our party which such dedication for decades. It’s our loss and a sad reflection on us. — Lucy Powell MP (@LucyMPowell) October 16, 2019

But Berger urged Labour MPs to stop lamenting Ellman’s decision and quit the party themselves.