THE Barnsley Central Constituency Labour Party has called for Angela Smith and other former Labour MPs who quit the party to stand down and call a by-election.
Graham Kyte, the chairman for Barnsley Central CLP said: “At the meeting on February 28, Barnsley Central CLP called for each of the nine Labour MPs who have recently left the party - including Angela Smith member for Penistone and Stocksbridge - to now stand in a by-election.
“Local members said that in their view since the nine stood in 2017 on clear Labour Party manifestos, they now have an obligation to allow their constituents to choose who they want to represent them for the remainder of this parliament.”
Angela Smith, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, announced she was leaving the Labour Party to join the Independent Group on February 18.
Ms Smith told the Barnsley Chronicle when asked about calls for a by-election: “I am still the same person, I have not changed and my views have not changed.”
Responding to the by-election calls from Barnsley Central CLP, she added: “Under our parliamentary system MPs are elected to represent all of their constituents for the term of a Parliament. During the election campaign I was also very clear about the platform I stood on and that I would be independent minded.
“Given this and the fact, as the present leader of the official opposition once stated, people vote for a candidate, not a party, there is no reason why there should be any by-elections.”
Pete Bevis, acting chairman of the Penistone and Stocksbridge CLP responded to the statement by the neighbouring CLP: “The Penistone and Stocksbridge Constituency Labour Party (CLP) is more than happy to endorse the statement made by the Barnsley Central CLP which calls for all nine MPs who resigned from the Labour Party to also resign their Parliamentary seats and, should they so wish, offer themselves for re-election to their respective electorates.
“Angela Smith stood on a clear manifesto published by the Labour Party prior to the election and was elected as a result. Having decided to leave the political party which she represented, whose funds and voluntary support of countless members she gladly accepted, she has a moral duty to test the support she claims to retain of her electorate.
“Not to do so would be dishonourable and suggests she does not actually enjoy the level of support that she now claims to have.
“A local petition calling on Angela Smith to resign as an MP has already been signed by hundreds within her constituency.
“Angela Smith both supports and is calling for a people’s vote on any final Brexit deal.
“We call on her to now agree to a people’s vote in her constituency and for her to stand down and fight her seat as an independent MP without the support of the Labour Party and its members that were a huge part of her successful campaign in 2017.”
