Chris Williamson says anti-Corbyn Labour MPs 'should resign or be replaced'

Labour MPs who are not committed to making Jeremy Corbyn the next Prime Minister should either resign or be replaced, according to a controversial backbencher.



Chris Williamson said he wanted next month's Labour conference to back changes to the party's rules to make it easier for local members to unseat sitting MPs.

Speaking to the Morning Star, the Derby North MP said: "Any MP not prepared to work for a Labour victory should resign and, if they won’t, grassroots members should replace them.

"That’s why I hope conference will back Labour International’s motion to introduce open selections to make it easier for members to hold their MPs to account."

Mr Williamson has angered many Labour MPs by carrying out a so-called "democracy roadshow" over the summer, which has seen him hold meetings in the constituencies of some of Mr Corbyn's fiercest party critics.

His latest outburst drew criticism from Mike Gapes MP, who is reportedly preparing to quit over Labour's ongoing anti-Semitism controversy.

Well. I regard it as a badge of honour to be denounced by the Communist Morning Star. I will not be bullied into silence by apologists for Putin, Assad and Maduro. https://t.co/9GXzCDoymO — Mike Gapes (@MikeGapes) 26 August 2018

Mr Williamson was also condemned last week after he praised a controversial blogger who described murdered Labour MP Jo Cox as a "warmongering Al Qaeda advocate".

He said it had been a "privilege" to attend a speech by Vaness Beeley at a festival in Exeter.

The former frontbencher - who was forced out after calling for a hike in council tax on big homes - has also been criticised for his support of Marc Wadsworth, who was expelled from Labour for anti-Semitism.