Suspended MP Brian Leishman: ‘It’s sad there’s no room for Jeremy and Zarah in the Labour Party’

MP Brian Leishman has called for “internal democracy” within the Labour Party after he had the whip removed for rebelling against the government’s welfare reforms.

Speaking to the Big Issue, the MP for Alloa and Grangemouth argued that the “most healthy way for a political party to function” is for there to be “internal debate” and for different opinions to be “tolerated”.

Leishman was one of four Labour MPs to lose the whip after voting against the welfare bill in July. Rachael Maskell, Neil Duncan-Jordan and Chris Hinchcliff were also suspended.

Read more:

• Suspended rebel MP Rachael Maskell: ‘If Labour doesn’t change, I fear where this country is headed’
• Universal credit cuts will push 50,000 into poverty despite government’s U-turn, MPs warn
• Poverty doesn’t take a break in the summer holidays – and baby banks don’t either

Three of the four MPs – Leishman, Duncan-Jordan and Hinchcliff – were newly elected last year. All will now sit as independent MPs within the House of Commons until the whip is restored.

More than 120 Labour MPs had rebelled against the government’s plans for disability benefit cuts and won significant concessions, but Leishman and his colleagues continued to oppose the bill after it had been watered down.

A total of 49 Labour MPs voted against the welfare bill at its third reading, but the majority supported it, meaning that it is set to be passed into law.

Rebels remain concerned about the cuts to the health element of universal credit for new claimants, which are expected to see around 750,000 people miss out on thousands of pounds of support by the end of the decade.

Leishman said he is “very worried” about the future of disabled people in the UK and that he will continue to campaign for the cuts to be scrapped.

Yet despite the suspension and his criticism of Labour’s welfare policies, Leishman said he remains committed to Labour and would not join Zarah Sultana and Jeremy Corbyn’s new left-wing party.

“I find it sad that there is no room for Jeremy and Zarah in the Labour Party,” Leishman said.

He speaks to the Big Issue about why his suspension came as a shock, what it means for the future of the Labour Party, and what he would like to see changed for the benefit of the country.

How have you been since the suspension?

It’s been an emotional week. It was out of the blue. I wasn’t expecting it. I was called in for a meeting after Prime Minister’s Questions. That was at quarter to one, and then by one o’clock I’d had a temporary suspension. It was a bit of a shock. My constituents and people from the trade union movement have been absolutely phenomenal. We’ve been overwhelmed with messages of support and solidarity. That has been terrific.

Considering so many other MPs rebelled, was it a shock that you in particular lost the whip?

I do appreciate the fact that I have broken the whip quite a few times, and I appreciate that I’ve been outspoken about some of the things that the government has done or refused to have done [Leishman has primarily voted against the government on welfare – you can see his voting record here]. 

But I think it comes down to a real big question – internal party democracy. I think that goes for every party but especially the Labour Party. We’ve got people from across the political spectrum, and I think it’s healthy if they can have internal debate and other opinions tolerated and then try and build some consensus. I think that’s the most healthy way for a political party to function.

What justification were you given by the chief whip?

Just that there’s going to be an investigation into my voting record. I’ve apparently broken the whip 12 times. And then also into some of the comments I’ve made inside the chamber and outside the chamber, on media and on social media, and some of the articles I’ve written and television appearances. That’s all public record. The investigation will take its course and I suppose we’ll have a discussion after the investigation’s concluded.

Three of the four Labour MPs who lost the whip were new MPs last year. Do you feel you were made an example of as new MPs?

Possibly. I didn’t ask that question, and it would just be surmising. Rachael has been a terrific MP for a decade now. I would say knowing Neil and knowing Chris, they have served their authority in parliament and I know just how community-oriented they are. Three of the four are new MPs. Whether that’s some sort of message, I don’t know. But 75% of us are, I suppose.

Are you committed to being a Labour MP once the whip is restored?

I hope the whip does get restored. I’m a proud Labour Party member and I still am. I’ve had a temporary suspension of the parliamentary bit, but I’m still a card-carrying and fee-paying Labour Party member. I still feel Labour is the best and most likely vehicle to redistribute power and wealth across society for the benefit of many, and actually try and make inroads in tackling structural society problems that we’ve got in the country.

What do you think of Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana’s new party?

On a personal level, Jeremy and Zarah are experienced parliamentarians who have both been incredibly generous with their time and advice. I find it sad that there is no room for Jeremy and Zarah in the Labour Party, because they have been fantastic parliamentarians and champions for the working class. They are terrific MPs and I wish them well in their new endeavours, and I know that they’ll continue to represent their constituents phenomenally.

Do you feel proud of the way you stood by disabled people throughout this process?

I don’t think it’s a question of pride. I think it’s a question of the right thing. I was very vocal in my opposition to the welfare bill. I always think it’s the mission of the Labour Party, and especially the Labour government, to lift people out of poverty and not put people into it.

I would say I think we were vindicated – the people that did rebel against the government audit – because I think initially it was going to be £7 billion of cuts down to £2bn. Let me just say from the get go that that’s still £2bn too much. I’m steadfast in the opinion that the bill should be withdrawn and disability organisations and people with experience of what life is like for disabled people should have been consulted, and we should then try and build a welfare system worthy of the day.

How do you feel about the future of disabled people in this country now the welfare bill has gone ahead with concessions?

I’m still worried about it. When I spoke with disability organisations, they painted a bleak and it was a realistic picture of what the cuts still mean. So I’m very worried about that. I just want disabled people to know as well that just because the bill was passed, that’s not the end of it. For me, I’m still campaigning to make life better for them.

What are your hopes for your future as a politician?

Ultimately, it’s not about me. From a constituency point of view, I want to bring investment in and reindustrialise my constituency. We’ve seen four decades of privatisation, four decades of neoliberal politics that have decimated communities, and we’ve seen in my constituency the devastating social consequences of the last four decades. I want to improve living standards for my constituency, but I also want to improve living standards across the whole country. For me, that comes down to classic Labour Party values to redistribute power and wealth and opportunity across society to the benefit of the many.

One of the things I have been really focused on and campaigning hard on has been the introduction of a 2% annual wealth tax on multimillionaires with £10 million or more in assets. We’ve got to be transformational. We’ve got to be radical. And it’s not, dare I say it, ordinary people that need to pay more tax. The billionaire class has seen their wealth accelerate. We’ve got to target them and try to redistribute power and wealth.

What are your hopes for the future of the Labour Party?

For the Labour Party to be true to its principles of being the voice for empowerment for those who don’t necessarily have a voice. To represent working class communities. We were born out of the trade union movement – to try to fight for workers’ rights. That means justice, equality and improving the rights of people with living standards and opportunity. And to be honest, it’s really providing that hope. We’ve had a decade and a half of austerity, then a global pandemic, which accelerated and exaggerated inequality, and then a cost of living crisis. We’ve got to provide hope. We’ve got to provide a vision for a better, more equal society. And for me, that is the reason for being the Labour Party.

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