Former Labour councillor Adam Langleben resigns from party ‘led by antisemites’

Adam Langleben, senior member of Jewish Labour Movement, has announced his resignation from the party in a powerful open letter to Jeremy Corbyn.

Published on Medium, the former Labour official wrote: “My wife and I are having our first child in two weeks time.

“One day my son may ask me what I did to stop you from ever becoming Prime Minister. I can no longer look my family and friends in the face without complete shame.”

Langleben said: “I joined the Labour Party 13 years ago as a student on the left of the party, a place I have remained throughout my time in Labour — supporting the trade union movement, the ‘soft left’ and voting for Ed Miliband to become leader — a decision I now greatly regret.

“It has now become clear that under your leadership, the party has been corrupted and indoctrinated by people who are authoritarian in their approach to politics, encourage democratic structures that lead to bullying mob rule, and above all else — are racist towards Jews — which may well be a result of the approach of the two latter philosophies.

“History is clear to me that when political events like this begin with Jews, they never end with Jews.”

In the letter, Langleben also calls on Jeremy Corbyn to “take full responsibility” for the rise in antisemitism in the party, adding: “You, Seumas Milne, Karie Murphy, Len McClusky, the bullies at the top have all allowed this culture of institutionalised antisemitism to develop and grow.”

He added: “Some of your own advisors have told me that they believe you to be an antisemite but want to try and change you. But you cannot be changed.”