Voters in Luciana Berger’s constituency give mixed response to resignation

Voters in Luciana Berger’s Liverpool constituency gave a mixed response to her resignation amid misgivings at the current leadership of the Labour Party.

In a random selection of local voters in her Wavertree constituency, many could not name her, but recognised her name, and all appeared to be aware of the accusations of anti-Semitism within the Labour Party.

She has been an outspoken critic of Labour’s leadership, and of Jeremy Corbyn over his handling of anti-Semitism and his Brexit position.

Her stance on alleged hatred towards Jewish people has seen her face a torrent of abuse from online trolls and she required a police escort at last year’s Labour Party conference.

But most voters in Wavertree appeared more concerned with immigration issues locally than machinations in the “Westminster Bubble”.

Ian Green, wearing a Glasgow Rangers bobble hat and a regular at the Rose Vaults pub on Wavertree High Street, said: “I think it was inevitable. I’d still vote for her, I think she’s doing a good job.

“I’m a Labour voter but I’ve not been since Corbyn took over. I don’t like Jeremy Corbyn and I don’t like his values.

“I am a loyalist, a patriot, and he’s no loyalist.”

Alluding to Shamima Begum, one of three British schoolgirls who left the country to join the Islamic State in 2015 and now wants to come back to Britain after giving birth in a refugee camp in Syria, he said: “I would like to know what the Labour Party think about this Isis girl. Jeremy Corbyn would support her coming back.”

Another drinker Kevin Monaghan said: “I think it’s terrible, what race or creed you are, it doesn’t matter.

“I would still vote Labour now though. The Government is rubbish, Jeremy Corbyn is better than Tony Blair. That’s not saying much is it?”

Ann Baker added: “I think it’s quite sad. She’s done quite well here, she’s quite high profile. I think she’s trying her hardest and she’s giving up a safe seat.

“People are not getting enough say about things. Labour are not Labour anymore.”

Colette Basley, a volunteer at the local Cat’s Protection charity shop said she had voted Labour in the past but not now as it was full of “brainwashed students”.

She said: “I don’t think Labour would recover from the state they’re in now.

“Anti-Semitism in this day and age is just shocking really, I can understand how people are upset or angry about that.

“I know some people where I live liked her, they would probably support her. They would probably still support her.”

Steve Prendgast, 64, who said he was a life-long Labour voter, said: “I heard them talking about it this morning on the news about anti-Semitism and all that. Berger, Ellman, from what I have seen, they are nice people.

“I would vote for Berger again, three years ago, she helped me out of difficult times.

“I know they say there’s anti-Semitism and he (Corbyn) has met IRA members, but, that’s water under the bridge and that’s it.”

Pensioner Monica Kavanagh, said she was a Labour voter and the anti-Semitism her MP had suffered was “disgusting” but she would still vote Labour over any independent.

She said: “I’ve voted Labour at all times. I would rather have Labour, they have done well for our country.

“Labour has got to be better than the Conservatives, excuse my language, they’re f****** arseholes.”