Merseyside Deputy PCC quits over Labour resignation
Merseyside’s police and crime commissioner (PCC) Jane Kennedy has resigned from the Labour Party following the resignation of MP Luciana Berger, who claimed she had experienced anti-semitism from her colleagues.
Ms Kennedy, who was Ms Berger’s predecessor representing the Liverpool Wavertree constituency, said the party had been unable to respond to the institutional racism and as a result was also resigning.
She will continue as PCC until she retires from office in 2020 and will not be seeking re-election.
Ms Kennedy’s decision has also prompted the resignation of deputy PCC Emily Spurrell, who said the people of Merseyside had voted for a Labour representative to “put Labour values at the heart of policing”.
She added: “Merseyside has lost over 30 per cent of its funding since 2010 and continues to suffer under this Conservative Government’s pernicious programme of austerity. This is why I firmly believe we need a strong Labour voice as PCC.”
Ms Kennedy said she was disappointed that Ms Spurrell has chosen to resign from her post, adding: “She has done so because I confirmed to her that I left the Labour Party after the resignation of Luciana Berger MP and the announcement that Derek Hatton had been re-admitted into party membership.
“Emily has been an excellent deputy and has carried forward a number of important projects, in particular leading work on improving the outcomes for victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence and in developing a regional policy on tackling violence against women and girls.
“Emily has been aware that I have been deeply disturbed by the abuse suffered by Luciana Berger and other Labour elected members across Merseyside. I was elected to promote action against hate crime, amongst other things, and am no longer able to defend what the Labour Party allows to happen in its name.”
