The former Labour MP for Bassetlaw quit the party in protest at Jeremy Corbyn’s failure to tackle anti-Semitism but in doing so he has been put on Mrs May’s resignation honours list to become a Lord but an independent watchdog said it could be seen as a bribe, according to The Times. Mr Mann supported Mrs May’s withdrawal agreement all three times it went through the House of Commons and advised her to give extra money to leave voting constituencies. Following his acceptance to become an “anti-Semitism tsar” by Mrs May, Mr Mann was grilled over what he’s done to receive a peerage from the former Tory leader.

Speaking to Sky News, Mr Mann said: “It’s a celebration to get out of the pantomime House of Commons with all the antics that go on there and then unwillingness to make any decisions.”

Host Adam Boulton said: “But for you as a long-standing Labour man, isn’t it a bit embarrassing for you to accept a peerage from an outgoing Conservative Prime Minister?”

Mr Mann responded: “It’s not embarrassing. It gives me the opportunity to independent of government do the role that I have on anti-Semitism which is a huge problem in this country now because of its growth and impact on the community.

“The fact that this scourge is back with us I can make a better contribution by assisting the challenge against it and that is what I’ll be doing full-time.”

Mr Boulton added: “But can you clarify how this works? You were supportive of Mrs May over Brexit and we understand the Lords appointments committee were worried there was some sort of trade-off.

“You getting a peerage for supporting her.

“I mean, you’ve got the peerage for what? So you can do this job or because you helped Mrs May?”

Mr Mann completely disagreed with the implication and said he got it for his role against anti-Semitism.

He said: “My committee in Parliament have called for this role for quite some years and it was suggested to me that I should do it.

“This is a way of doing so and being independent of Government rather than being under Government.

“Having been very critical of the Labour party for its failure to deal with anti-Semitism if the Conservative party fail too I will be equally critical of them.”

Mr Mann’s comments come following the prorogation of Parliament in the early hours of Tuesday morning as it is suspended for five weeks until October 14.

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Under the new bill, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is ordered to request an extension from the EU of three months if he fails to get a deal by October 17 but the Tory leader said he would rather “die in a ditch” than delay Brexit again.

Mr Johnson has previously vowed to leave the EU with or without a deal on October 31.

He has said he will flatly refuse their demand for a Brexit delay in a passionate Commons speech.

He warned that respect for Parliament across the country had been “gravely undermined” by months of “dither, delay, procrastination and confusion”. And in a furious assault, he branded Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour MPs “yellow bellies” for blocking a general election.

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