Labour members defect to Lib Dems

1.53.16pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 29th Aug 2006

37 Labour party members in Margaret Beckett's Derby South constituency have defected to the Lib Dems over the handling of the Middle East crisis.

The Chair of one of Derby Labour party's branches, Mohammed Rawail Peeno, cited Mrs Beckett's refusal to back a ceasefire and allignment with George Bush as the breaking point for the defectors.

Explaining the move, he said: "New Labour have abandoned the beliefs that led me and thousands of others to join Labour in the first place."

Commenting on the news, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Menzies Campbell MP said:

"The government's position on the Middle East and Iraq shows just how out of touch it is with many in its party and the majority of the general public."

To find out about Lib Dem foreign policy go to: www.libdems.org.uk/internationalaffairs