West Norfolk councillor calls for more independents in politics
A West Norfolk councillor says more politicians should follow the example of the MPs who have quit their parties this week to sit as independents.
Eleven MPs, eight Labour and three Conservatives, have so far resigned and will form part of a new independent group in the House of Commons.
And Jim Moriarty, who resigned from Labour after Jeremy Corbyn was elected leader in 2015 and now heads the independent group on West Norfolk Council, says they have caught the mood of the country.
He said: "The country is fed up of tribal politics.
"There are lots of people out there with talents they want to offer.
"I'd encourage them to follow those who have left the party structure and go independent."
Labour's Jo Rust said she was "disappointed" by the departure of her party's former MPs and said it was a matter for the constituency parties as to whether by-elections should be sought.
But she insisted claims the party was not doing enough to tackle allegations of anti-Semitism seriously were unfounded.
She said: "I sit on the regional board and my experience is that Labour is taking anti-Semitism seriously.
"I know other parties have problems with this but it's not given the same regard."
North West Norfolk MP Sir Henry Bellingham suggested the departure of MPs from the Labour ranks "had been building for some time" and said he was aware the three departing Tory MPs - Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston - had been in talks with the independent group prior to their resignation announcement this morning.
He said: "We need to rally behind all MPs. Unless they vote against the party on a confidence motion, we have to allow a range of thinking on Brexit."
Josie Ratcliffe, Liberal Democrat prospective Parliamentary candidate for South West Norfolk, said her party was prepared to work with “all those willing to build a new and modern political force in Britain.”
She added: “British politics is being broken by extremism in both the Labour and the Conservative parties.”
