The fallout from Frank Field’s decision to resign the Labour whip over the leadership’s handling of anti-Semitism allegations continued today. Field wants to stay on as a Labour party member but act as an independent in Parliament. The Labour leadership doesn’t look kindly on this arrangement and has given him two weeks to withdraw his resignation – or face expulsion. Field has no plans to play ball.
However, the issue that has the Corbynistas most excited is the prospect of a by-election. Field is under no obligation to go to the polls but on a blitz of the broadcast studios this morning, he said he is considering it. He promised to spend the ‘next few days’ asking his constituents in Birkenhead for their thoughts:
‘I will obviously make a decision about whether I should actually have a by-election or not… I will be in Birkenhead, people will be talking to me, coming up to me in the street to see whether they want me to have a by-election or not.’
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