Blackadder actor Tony Robinson quits Labour with swipe at leadership

Tony Robinson said he opposed the party’s stance on Brexit Credit: Yui Mok/PA

Actor Tony Robinson, a former member of Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee, has quit the party.

He said his decision was prompted by opposition to Labour’s stance on Brexit, concern over its handling of anti-Semitism allegations and the poor quality of its leadership.

Robinson – best known as Baldrick in hit comedy Blackadder and a member of TV’s Time Team – is a former vice-president of actors’ union Equity and served on the NEC from 2000-04.

Writing on Twitter, he said: “I’ve left the Labour Party after nearly 45 years of service at Branch, Constituency and NEC levels, partly because of its continued duplicity on Brexit, partly because of its antisemitism, but also because its leadership is complete shit.”

Robinson is a supporter of continued UK membership of the European Union and has spoken at rallies of the People’s Vote campaign for a second referendum.