UK Jewish lawmaker resigns from Labour shadow cabinet
After Brexit, Luciana Berger steps down along with 32 others; says ‘we need a leader who can unite party’
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A Jewish lawmaker in Britain’s Parliament has joined more than 30 Labour Party members in resigning from the opposition’s shadow cabinet — part of the fallout from the British vote to leave the European Union.
Luciana Berger, the most senior Jewish member of the shadow cabinet, according to the Jewish Chronicle, stepped down Monday as shadow minister for mental health.
“I have always served the Labour Party and our leader with loyalty. Having listened closely to local party members, loyalty to the party must come first,” Berger said in her resignation letter to party head Jeremy Corbyn. “You have shown me nothing but kindness, but we need a leader who can unite party.”
Some 32 members of the shadow cabinet, or more than half its members, quit Monday in a revolt against Corbyn’s leadership.
I have spoken to Jeremy today and it is with great sadness that I have stood down from his Shadow Cabinet. pic.twitter.com/YRYiu7HRd0
— Luciana Berger (@lucianaberger) June 27, 2016
Prime Minister David Cameron, who tendered his resignation effective in the fall following the referendum result last week to leave the European Union, told the House of Commons on Monday afternoon that the result was not the one he wanted but that he and his Cabinet have agreed it will be respected.
In his statement, Cameron added that hate crimes and attacks on foreigners must be stamped out.
“These people have come here and made a wonderful contribution,” he said.
Foreign migrants became a focus of the vote to leave the EU.
The Times of Israel Community.