FORMER Labour MP Beth Winter resigned from the party today with an excoriating attack on its values and policies under leader Sir Keir Starmer.
The socialist MP represented Cynon Valley after the 2019 general election and paid tribute to expelled Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn for the radical manifesto she was elected on.
She said: “It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve as the MP for my home, Cynon Valley, elected on the transformative Labour manifesto of 2019.
“As a proud socialist I have remained committed to that manifesto’s vision for a fairer, more equal, and greener society ‘for the many, not the few’.”
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “I have huge admiration for my great friend and comrade.
“I have always enjoyed working alongside her to build a more equal and sustainable society — and I look forward to working with her for many, many years to come.”
Ms Winter’s constituency was abolished by the Boundary Commission review of Welsh constituencies and it was merged into a new seat including Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare and Pontypridd.
She complained about the decisions made by the Welsh Labour executive to hold a short campaign for the new seat and only hold online hustings events.
The party was accused of gerrymandering the selection process to favour Gerald Jones who won the selection for the new constituency of Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare.
Darren Williams, a founding member of Welsh Labour Grassroots, left the Labour Party just before this summer’s general election campaign and paid a fulsome tribute to Ms Winter.
He said: “Beth Winter was the outstanding Welsh Labour MP of recent times, who achieved more in her five years in Parliament than most politicians do in several decades.”
In recent weeks Ms Winter hosted a “building a movement for people, peace and planet, not profit” conference in Merthyr Tydfil and said: “Now it’s time to turn this into action, working together to achieve a fairer, greener, socialist Cymru for all.”
A spokesperson from Welsh Labour Grassroots said it was “saddened at the news and offers our thanks for all her many achievements.
“We will continue to fight for socialist policies and for workers’ representatives at the forthcoming Senedd elections that will fight for the many and not the few.”
Ms Winter explained: “In truth, the Labour Party has left me, not me the Labour Party.”
