Ivan Lewis, who was accused of sexual harassment, says party has failed to condemn antisemitic behaviour

Suspended MP Ivan Lewis has announced his resignation from the Labour party, accusing Jeremy Corbyn of being “unwilling to condemn those whose hatred of Israel becomes Jewish hatred” and complaining that the disciplinary process against him was “subject to political manipulation”.

The Bury South MP said he would continue to sit in parliament as an independent, but his decision to quit means that the long-running Labour party disciplinary process following allegations of sexual harassment can no longer conclude. Lewis denies the accusation.

Labour suspends ex-minister Ivan Lewis over sexual harassment claim Read more

Lewis wrote that the disciplinary process had been stalled until October when he “made it clear to the party that I was considering resigning as I could no longer reconcile my Jewish identity and current Labour politics”. He added that a “sudden attempt” was made to move proceedings on, and complained that the exercise had become “flawed and subject to political manipulation”.

Labour sources said that the party had been in correspondence with him to set a date for his disciplinary hearing in front of the party’s national constitutional committee in January, and added that his resignation had denied the complainants a hearing.

The MP went on to criticise Corbyn in the letter, saying: “It is for others to determine whether you are antisemitic”, and went on to accuse the Labour leader and his director of communications, Seumas Milne, of not believing “in the right of the Jewish people to self-determination in their own state”.

He added: “To compound this, all too often you have been unwilling to condemn those whose hatred of Israel becomes Jew hatred. This is incompatible with being a lifelong campaigner against racism.”

Concluding his point, Lewis said: “It is no wonder that so many British people are uncomfortable at the prospect of you becoming prime minister in one of the world’s most enduring western liberal democracies.”

Lewis is the fourth Labour MP since the 2017 general election to quit the party, following Frank Field, Jared O’Mara and John Woodcock. Barrow and Furness MP Woodcock was also suspended amid harassment allegations at the time he quit.

A fifth MP, Fiona Onasanya, was permanently suspended from the party on Wednesday, a day after she was found guilty of perverting the course of justice by lying to avoid a speeding ticket.

A Labour party spokesperson said: “Jeremy Corbyn thanks Ivan for his service to the Labour party. The Labour party takes all complaints of sexual harassment extremely seriously, which are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures and appropriate disciplinary action taken.

“This case was referred to a full hearing of Labour’s national constitutional committee. The process is the same for everyone.”

Labour has also repeatedly said that Corbyn repudiates antisemitism in all its forms.