RICHARD Morgan has quit the Labour party following his suspension.

Mr Morgan, who was the Labour councillor for the Fairfax East ward on Bridgwater Town Council, was one of 51 people accused of contempt of court after sitting outside the Kingsbury Oil Terminal near Tamworth in a peaceful protest as part of Just Stop Oil in 2022.

The protesters appeared at Birmingham Crown Court and were sent to HMP Pentonville after being found guilty of breaching a High Court injunction aimed at preventing protests outside the terminal.

He was also arrested a second time for peacefully sitting in the road in central London.

Mr Morgan was suspended by the party in June.

In a statement, Mr Morgan said: "The treatment of my Constituency Labour Party has been appalling and I don’t trust Keir Starmer to honour his pledge of no new oil, gas, and coal.

“I have no intention of stopping my actions with Just Stop Oil, so – unless Labour U-turn on their support for peaceful protests – it’s likely I would have been on permanent suspension from the party.

“Yesterday, Rachel Reeves called Just Stop Oil 'pathetic', which shows just how far away from its civil-resistance roots Labour has strayed. This issue should not be used as a political football. It’s life and death – and we’re rapidly running out of time to save ourselves.

“I took action for those I love and for all life on earth, because the future looks terrifying. Licencing new oil and gas in 2023 is an act of genocide and Labour could – and should – be calling this out."

Since he has not breached the councillor’s Code of Conduct, he currently remains seated as an Independent.

A spokesperson from Just Stop Oil has said: “What we find tedious is the Labour Party’s total lack of a spine in facing up to the oil industry who seek to profit from the wholesale destruction of life as we know it."

Writing in the Bridgwater Mercury a couple of weeks ago, Cllr Brian Smedley, the leader of Bridgwater Town Council, said: "We in Bridgwater Labour Party firmly defend people’s right to peaceful protest and would point out that the climate crisis is real and happening."