COPELAND’S MP has rejected a call from a Labour member to resign from the party.

Robin Pitt has written to Jamie Reed, urging him to stand down and seek re-selection due to his opposition to new Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Mr Pitt, who represented the Newtown ward (Millom) on Copeland Council until 2011 and defected to Labour from the Conservatives in 2008, told Mr Reed: “You once told me how much you admired me for leaving the Conservatives because I disagreed with their (at that time) values.

“Your current conduct, attacking your leader who was elected by a massive mandate, flies in the face of your comments at that time. The decent and honourable thing for you to do at this time would be to resign from our party and submit yourself to re-selection.”

Mr Reed, who resigned from the front bench minutes after Mr Corbyn’s election in September, responded: “Disagreement with a leader on matters of policy or principle do not constitute an attack. Mr Corbyn has rebelled against successive Labour leaders over 500 times. I am sure you do not consider this to represent 500 attacks on successive leaders.

“You are right that a lot of people voted for Mr Corbyn to become leader, but as a Labour MP, my first duty is to represent the people of Copeland and I will always put the interests of my constituency ahead of party politics.”