Clare Short quits the Labour whip

Clare Short, the MP for Birmingham Ladywood, has resigned the Labour whip and will sit as an independent in the House of Commons.

The former International Development Secretary announced her decision on 20 October, saying she no longer supported the direction of the government under Tony Blair. She also said she would not stand again for Parliament at the next general election.

Hoping for a hung parliament

In a statement explaining her decision, Short said she wanted to see a hung parliament after the next election, which she believed would force a change to the voting system and make politics more representative.

That view put her at odds with the Labour Party, which is committed to winning an outright majority. Short said she could not in good conscience campaign for a Labour government under the current leadership, and felt it was right to give up the whip rather than wait to be pushed.

She has been one of the government's most outspoken critics since leaving the cabinet in May 2003. She resigned as International Development Secretary over the handling of the war in Iraq and the plans for rebuilding the country, and has been fiercely critical of Blair's leadership since.

A long career

Short has represented Ladywood since 1983, and is one of Birmingham's best known politicians. She grew up in Handsworth, the daughter of Irish parents, and worked as a civil servant before entering Parliament.

In the Commons she campaigned on a wide range of issues, including against topless models in newspapers, and became International Development Secretary when Labour came to power in 1997.

In that role she was widely respected for building up the new department and for campaigning on debt relief and poverty in Africa. Her resignation over Iraq, two months after the invasion, was a major embarrassment for the Prime Minister.

What it means for Ladywood

Short's decision means Ladywood will have a new MP after the next election, which is not due until 2009 or 2010. Labour holds the seat with a large majority, and the party will now have to choose a new candidate.

Ladywood is one of the most deprived constituencies in the country, taking in the city centre and inner-city areas such as Ladywood, Aston and Nechells. It has a young and diverse population and some of the highest levels of unemployment in Britain.

Some constituents have praised Short for her principles, while others feel she has let down the party that helped elect her.

Short has said she will continue to represent her constituents until the election and will speak out on the issues she cares about, including international development and the Middle East.