A LABOUR stalwart launched a scathing attack on the party's leadership today as he quit the organisation after 40 years.

Councillor Jim Sheridan, who served as an MP for more than a decade, blasted "right-wing Blairites" who he claimed are attempting to rid the party of dissenters.

The 69-year-old Houston, Crosslee and Linwood representative had been under investigation by Labour for a second time, after previously causing controversy by making remarks about the Jewish community.

However, in a parting shot as he quit the party, he likened his latest suspension to a form of McCarthyism – a term used for defamation of character by means of indiscriminate allegations.

Councillor Sheridan, who confirmed to The Gazette that he will now retire from politics, said: "Once again I have been under suspension for the last five months, without any proper investigation.

"My accusation this time is for undermining a 'colleague'.

"It is no surprise that it is the same people who have encouraged this suspension once again."

Councillor Sheridan said he was targeted for questioning fellow councillor Allison Dowling's attendance record at meetings of Renfrewshire's Labour group.

He added: "This is only one of many issues that convinced me that expressing any socialist views in today's new Labour Party is frowned upon and places you on the 'must go' list.

"These tactics are familiar to those trade unionists, mainly in the construction industry, blacklisted by unscrupulous employers and denied of securing any further employment."

The former Paisley and Renfrewshire North MP was originally suspended by Labour in 2018 for a social media post that stated: "For almost all my adult life I have had the utmost respect and empathy for the Jewish community and their historic suffering.

"No longer due to what they and their Blairite plotters are doing to my party and the long-suffering people of Britain who need a radical Labour government."

He was later reinstated and apologised for his comments but appeared to backtrack on that apology at a council meeting last year during a debate about the recently-passed Hate Crime Bill.

Councillor Sheridan claimed he was "personally attacked" for "perfectly reasonable comments" he had made about the Jewish community.

He accused Councillor Dowling of being "the main protagonist" behind the 2018 incident and slammed her for "lecturing" him on free speech.

Councillor Sheridan has now heaped criticism on the local Labour group, adding: "If they spent a fraction of their time and effort on their constituents and used their resources to expose the utter destruction of local services by the SNP administration in Renfrewshire, instead of plotting their own futures, then our constituents and Renfrewshire would be better served."

His departure from the party follows a decision by another veteran councillor – Jim Harte – to resign as whip and finance spokesman of Renfrewshire's Labour group earlier this month.

Councillor Harte said he decided to quit after a split caused by five "dissidents" in the group.

A spokesperson for Scottish Labour told The Gazette: "Mr Sheridan is a private citizen and he is entitled to his views on a range of issues."