City councillor quits Labour Party after antisemitism allegations and joins new Jeremy Corbyn movement

A Preston councillor who was suspended from the Labour Party over allegations of antisemitism has announced she is joining the new political movement being formed by Jeremy Corbyn.

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Carol Henshaw lost the Labour whip on Preston City Council back in March after a complaint about messages that she had sent in a WhatsApp chat with other Labour councillors sparked an investigation by the regional party.

At the time, she was the cabinet member for climate change on the authority - a post from which she was removed as a result of her suspension.

The City Centre ward representative has sat as an independent since the whip was withdrawn, but has now quit Labour altogether to become a member of the provisionally-titled 'Your Party'. Until it is officially established, she remains an independent.

The Post understands the move means that the Labour Party investigation - which was still ongoing - will now be discontinued, without a conclusion ever being reached.

Coun Henshaw said she had been "hoping to get exonerated and then resign", but that "the inception of this new party is exciting and so I've signed up to it".

She also told the Post she felt like she had been "scapegoated and incredibly unfairly treated" by Labour.

The Labour leader of Preston City Council, Matthew Brown, said his group was "sad" to see her leave the party.

The contents of Coun Henshaw's WhatsApp messages emerged after a local resident submitted a public question to be asked at a city council meeting on 6th March.