British MP quits Labor party in protest at Keir Starmer’s ‘hypocrisy’
Britain’s Labor Party on Saturday saw its first resignation since Keir Starmer became prime minister, with MP Rosie Duffield leaving the party and standing as an independent in the House of Commons, accusing Starmer of hypocrisy for accepting free gifts.
In a scathing resignation letter, Duffield denounced Starmer for pursuing “harsh and unnecessary” policies.
“Corruption, favoritism and greed are out of control,” she said, after it emerged earlier this month that the prime minister had accepted gifts and hospitality worth more than £100,000 ($133,700) while cutting annual winter heating benefits for around 10 million pensioners.
“I am deeply ashamed of what you and your inner circle have done to discredit and humiliate our once proud party,” she added, addressing Starmer.
She wrote in her letter that the hypocrisy of a leader enjoying expensive free clothes and trips while telling others to tighten their belts was shocking.
She also attacked Starmer’s decision to maintain the cap on child benefit for families.
She said someone who chooses to maintain the Conservative Party’s limit of benefits for the first two children only, while inexplicably accepting lavish personal gifts is entirely unworthy of holding the title of Labor Prime Minister.
Duffield said she would present herself as an independent MP guided by the core values of the Labour Party.
The row over free gifts to Starmer from wealthy donors has cast a shadow over Labor’s first conference since returning to power.
Labor party won a landslide victory over the Conservative party (Tories) in the July election after 14 years in opposition.
However, instead of celebrating their victory at the conference earlier this week, Labor government ministers found themselves on the defensive, facing the wrath of the unions that usually support them.
Records show Starmer has accepted more than £100,000 in gifts since December 2019, which while legal is more than any other MP.
