Luciana Berger Has Re-Joined The Labour Party And People Are Making The Same Suggestion

Luciana Berger was a Labour MP for nine years.

Luciana Berger has re-joined the Labour Party more than three years after quitting over a “culture of bullying, bigotry and harassment”.

The former MP decided to renew her membership after Keir Starmer personally apologised for the “intimidation, thuggery and racism” she endured when Jeremy Corbyn was leader.

And no sooner had the news been revealed by the Sunday Times than Twitter users started speculating about what she may decide to do next.

Many of them suggested she could run for Labour in Islington North after Starmer announced that Corbyn - who has held the seat for 40 years - will not be allowed to stand for the party at the next election.

They included former Tory cabinet minister David Gauke, who said Berger would be “a good candidate”.

Berger, who represented Liverpool Wavertree for nine years, was one of seven Labour MPs who quit the party in 2019 to form Change UK in protest at Corbyn’s leadership.

She said at the time: “I cannot remain in a party which I have come to the sickening conclusion is institutionally anti-Semitic.”

She eventually switched to the Lib Dems and stood for the party in Finchley and Golders Green at the 2019 election, but was defeated by the Conservatives’ Mike Freer.

Starmer invited Berger to re-join Labour after the party was taken out of special measures by the Equality and Human Rights Commission after an investigation into anti-Semitism found the party guilty of unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination.

Hinting that she could return to parliament, he said: “I would be honoured to work alongside you in continuing to build a Labour Party we can be proud of again — a Labour Party that can win again.”

Welcoming her decision to renew her membership, Starmer said: “I’m delighted Luciana has accepted my invitation to rejoin Labour.

“My test for change was whether those who were rightly appalled by how far we had fallen believe this is their party again. I know we’ve more to do but we’re unrecognisable from the party that forced her out.”

Berger said: “I’m pleased to be returning to my political home.”

anti-semitism

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