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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jan/11/chris-williamson-quits-labour-frontbench-after-double-council-tax-call
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| Chris Williamson quits Labour frontbench after 'double council tax' call | Chris Williamson quits Labour frontbench after 'double council tax' call |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Jeremy Corbyn is expected to announce a clutch of junior appointments to his frontbench team on Thursday afternoon after the Derby North MP, Chris Williamson, resigned as shadow fire minister. | |
| Williamson, who is an ardent supporter of the Labour leader, told the Huffington Post that council tax should be doubled on higher-value homes. | Williamson, who is an ardent supporter of the Labour leader, told the Huffington Post that council tax should be doubled on higher-value homes. |
| The interview, which was the latest in a series of controversial pronouncements, strayed outside his brief and did not reflect party policy. | The interview, which was the latest in a series of controversial pronouncements, strayed outside his brief and did not reflect party policy. |
| Labour sources said the shadow communities and local government secretary, Andrew Gwynne, was furious. He had not been forewarned of the article. | |
| It is understood that when the issue was raised with Williamson, rather than agree to confine his public statements to his own policy area, he decided to resign. He is expected to act as a leftwing outrider for the Labour leader from the backbenches. | |
| Williamson said: “I will be standing down from my role with immediate effect so that I can return to the backbenches, where I will be campaigning on a broader range of issues. I will continue to loyally support the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn from the backbenches and hope to be a voice for the party’s members.” | Williamson said: “I will be standing down from my role with immediate effect so that I can return to the backbenches, where I will be campaigning on a broader range of issues. I will continue to loyally support the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn from the backbenches and hope to be a voice for the party’s members.” |
| Corbyn said: “I am grateful for Chris’s work on the frontbench, particularly on fire safety following the appalling Grenfell Tower fire. I know that on the backbenches, Chris will be a strong campaigner on a range of crucial issues as well as serving his constituents with dedication.” | Corbyn said: “I am grateful for Chris’s work on the frontbench, particularly on fire safety following the appalling Grenfell Tower fire. I know that on the backbenches, Chris will be a strong campaigner on a range of crucial issues as well as serving his constituents with dedication.” |
| Williamson, who won the Derby North seat in last year’s general election, having previously held it from 2010-15, had been ridiculed by party colleagues for suggesting Labour consider women-only train carriages. | |
| One colleague pinned a notice to his office door saying: “Woman? Sexually harassed at work? Why not consider working on your own floor?” | |
| He has also appeared to suggest the deselection of MPs critical of Corbyn’s leadership, speaking of “interest groups and individual MPs in this party who think it’s their God-given right to rule”. | |
| Labour’s leadership team are keen to avoid providing ammunition to the Conservatives, who immediately seized on Williamson’s interview to claim that doubling council tax was party policy. | |
| Corbyn will now announce a series of junior appointments – below the level of shadow cabinet – including a replacement for Alex Cunningham, who resigned before Christmas after voting against the party whip on Brexit. | Corbyn will now announce a series of junior appointments – below the level of shadow cabinet – including a replacement for Alex Cunningham, who resigned before Christmas after voting against the party whip on Brexit. |
| Labour is also expected to take the opportunity to promote some of the MPs who joined the Commons in 2017, such as Laura Pidcock and Dan Carden. |