The former Labour leader of Brighton & Hove City Council has quit the Labour Party, blaming “Brexit, antisemitism and the toxic culture of aggression and bullying within the Party.”

Having previously served as Council Leader for three years before stepping down last year, Councillor Morgan joins a growing swathe of Labour MPs leaving the Party over allegations of anti-Semitism, the final Brexit arrangements, and growing reports of bullying within the Party.

In a public statement posted on his social media, the Councillor wrote: “This morning, after more than 27 years as a member, I have submitted my resignation from the Labour Party to the General Secretary Jennie Formby.

“I still believe I have something to offer in terms of public service to the city and local politics, but in future I want to use my energies in a positive way, not in fighting internal party battles.”

Since his resignation from the Party, Councillor Morgan has joined forces with Councillor Michael Inkpin-Leissner who also left the Labour Party two years ago.

The pair openly aligned themselves with the newly created Independent Group in the House of Commons who are campaigning against Brexit, as well as seeking to address the cited anti-Semitism in the Labour Party. A cross-party group, it currently has 11 members who previously represented the Labour and Conservative Party in the Commons.

This new alignment in Brighton & Hove City Council means the current political make-up of the Council rests at 21 Labour Councillors and 21 Conservative Members, after former Labour Councillor Anne Meadows defected to the Conservative Party last week.

This now gives the Green Party the deciding vote in polarising issues, with their 11 members holding the balance over key issues.

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