Luciana Berger says Labour is a shell of what it used to be

Luciana Berger never wanted to be pigeonholed as “a Jewish MP”. Although the 38-year-old is “immensely proud” of her faith, she feels this tag was foisted upon her by swelling anti-semitism — much of it targeted at her — in the Labour Party.

“When I put myself forward as a candidate in 2009, I never thought I’d be described on BBC News as ‘a Jewish MP’,” she says. “What other MPs are defined by their faith?”

On Thursday, Berger, the MP for Liverpool Wavertree, joined the Liberal Democrats. She says she has been “overwhelmed” by the warm reception she has received, which is in “stark contrast” to her treatment by Labour.

Luciana Berger tells MPs about her personal experience of anti-semitic abuse

She has also been bombarded with kind messages from MPs of all hues,