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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Clare Short resigns as Labour MP | Clare Short resigns as Labour MP |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Clare Short has resigned as a Labour MP and will sit as an independent for the remainder of this parliament. | Clare Short has resigned as a Labour MP and will sit as an independent for the remainder of this parliament. |
| The ex-Cabinet minister has already said she will quit as an MP at the next general election. | The ex-Cabinet minister has already said she will quit as an MP at the next general election. |
| In a letter to Labour's chief whip she accuses Tony Blair of "half-truths and deceits to get us to war in Iraq". | In a letter to Labour's chief whip she accuses Tony Blair of "half-truths and deceits to get us to war in Iraq". |
| Earlier this month the Birmingham Ladywood MP was formally reprimanded by Labour for saying she would campaign for a hung parliament. | |
| Labour Chief Whip Jacqui Smith said she had breached the Parliamentary Labour Party's code of conduct. | Labour Chief Whip Jacqui Smith said she had breached the Parliamentary Labour Party's code of conduct. |
| I am sorry it has come to this Clare Short In full: Resignation letter href="/1/hi/uk_politics/a-z_of_parliament/t-z/81980.stm" class="">What is a party whip? | |
| The former international development secretary escaped expulsion from the party over the remarks. | The former international development secretary escaped expulsion from the party over the remarks. |
| 'Public opinion' | |
| But in a letter to Ms Smith resigning the whip, she repeats her claim that a hung parliament would be good for democracy. | But in a letter to Ms Smith resigning the whip, she repeats her claim that a hung parliament would be good for democracy. |
| "It is my view that our political system is in trouble and that the exaggerated majorities in the House of Commons have led to an abject parliament and a concentration of power in Number 10 that has produced arrogant, error-prone government," writes Ms Short. | "It is my view that our political system is in trouble and that the exaggerated majorities in the House of Commons have led to an abject parliament and a concentration of power in Number 10 that has produced arrogant, error-prone government," writes Ms Short. |
| "Given that the next election might well produce a hung parliament, I want to be free to argue that this creates a valuable opportunity to reform our voting system so that the House of Commons more accurately reflects public opinion, and we have a parliament more able to hold the government to account and to ensure that policy is well considered". | |
| Ms Short, 60, also accuses Labour's previous chief whip, social exclusion minister Hilary Armstrong, of using her authority "to stop me discussing the fact that the prime minister engaged in a series of half-truths and deceits to get us to war in Iraq". | Ms Short, 60, also accuses Labour's previous chief whip, social exclusion minister Hilary Armstrong, of using her authority "to stop me discussing the fact that the prime minister engaged in a series of half-truths and deceits to get us to war in Iraq". |
| Ms Short will continue to be a member of the Labour Party but will no longer vote with Labour MPs. | Ms Short will continue to be a member of the Labour Party but will no longer vote with Labour MPs. |
| Previous resignations | Previous resignations |
| Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer said: "Clare had been pressing for a hung parliament in comments she had made recently, which appeared to be saying that she would hope that some members of the Parliamentary Labour Party would lose their seats. | Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer said: "Clare had been pressing for a hung parliament in comments she had made recently, which appeared to be saying that she would hope that some members of the Parliamentary Labour Party would lose their seats. |
| "And I can see that she might take the view that if one's got to a point where one's pressing for people to lose their seats, that would be inconsistent with continuing to take the Labour whip." | "And I can see that she might take the view that if one's got to a point where one's pressing for people to lose their seats, that would be inconsistent with continuing to take the Labour whip." |
| Chancellor Gordon Brown refused to comment but added: "It has been known for some time she wasn't voting with the Labour whip." | Chancellor Gordon Brown refused to comment but added: "It has been known for some time she wasn't voting with the Labour whip." |
| Clare Short has been a vocal critic of Mr Blair's foreign policy and leadership style since quitting as international development secretary in 2003. | Clare Short has been a vocal critic of Mr Blair's foreign policy and leadership style since quitting as international development secretary in 2003. |
| She has resigned from Labour's front bench on three occasions - twice over the Gulf Wars and once over prevention of terrorism laws. | She has resigned from Labour's front bench on three occasions - twice over the Gulf Wars and once over prevention of terrorism laws. |
| Her 2003 resignation was seen as damaging her standing with Labour's left. | Her 2003 resignation was seen as damaging her standing with Labour's left. |
| Rather than quitting before the conflict, like Cabinet colleague Robin Cook, she publicly agonised over its rights and wrongs. | Rather than quitting before the conflict, like Cabinet colleague Robin Cook, she publicly agonised over its rights and wrongs. |
| She only left her post as the international development secretary once the main hostilities ended. | She only left her post as the international development secretary once the main hostilities ended. |