New Delhi: Indian-origin author, economist and UK peer Lord Meghnad Desai said his decision to resign from Britain’s opposition Labour Party over racism was “long due as it hurt his conscience”.
Talking to ThePrint, Desai said he was forced to make the choice when former party leader Jeremy Corbyn was readmitted into the party less than 20 days after his suspension despite findings of “unlawful acts” by the country’s human rights watchdog.
Corbyn was suspended last month by party leader Sir Keir Starmer after he seemed to downplay critical findings of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which claimed that the Labour Party was responsible for “unlawful” harassment and discrimination in the four-and-a-half years Corbyn was leader.
“It was strange to see him allowed back in without even a proper apology,” he told ThePrint over the telephone, and added that it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to witness Jewish members being abused unabashedly, especially the women members.
“I felt extremely uncomfortable with the turn of events and the way anti-semantic racism was repeatedly played out in the House of Commons.”
The EHRC report listed 23 instances of “inappropriate involvement” by Corbyn’s office in issues related to anti-Semitism.
The 80-year-old said he would continue to be a member of the House of Lords but as a crossbencher, i.e., a member who has no affiliation to a political party. “Due to Covid-19, there have been strict guidelines about social distancing, else my friends and I would talk endlessly outside the chambers … So, I hope that (friendship) remains the same,” he said.
Lord Desai went on to say his only concern was to see how his friends would react in person to his resignation, but at the same he was optimistic all will be well.
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‘Always taken these issues seriously’
Desai said that even though it had only been two days since he resigned, he felt at peace and much lighter already.
Desai’s wife’s Kishwar Ahluwalia Desai told ThePrint that he had been disappointed for some time now since he hadn’t received any firm response even after having multiple internal discussions with the party leadership regarding his concerns.
“As a politician, he has always taken these things very seriously,” she said.
Desai sent in his resignation letter to the leader of the Labour Party in the House of Lords, Baroness Angela Smith. Until his application to be a crossbencher in the House of Lords is processed, he will sit as an independent peer.
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Rubbish
Who is he?
Mr. Nazir Ahmed friend!
I live the U.K and they are non identity.
Decent people work and run their family and useless people join the leftist party to advance their career.
See what happened to USSR.
Perhaps your don’t remember
The Labour Party has turned into an Islamist organization, aiding and abetting all sorts of regressive policies and deeds. The anti-Semitic stance of Mr. Corbyn and the Party is clearly driven by the agenda of the Islamists within the party.
The British Indian community must withdraw its patronage to the party and look for other options.
And he support Hindu-supremacists in India, his home country. Height of hypocrisy!
Left-Liberal-Islamic nexus is a global phenomenon, not just in India. Labor exemplifies it.
Conservatives are the natural abode of UK-Hindus.