Tony Robinson has left the Labour Party over its “duplicity on Brexit” as he branded its leadership as “complete shit” in an angry message on Twitter. 

The actor and BBC presenter said he was ditching the party after nearly 45 years of service, fuming at the party’s “continued duplicity on Brexit” and the leadership’s failure to tackle anti-Semitism.

The 72-year-old Blackadder actor and Time Team presenter has been a party stalwart, campaigning at numerous general elections and serving on Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee. 

More recently, he has been a vocal advocate for the party backing a so-called “people’s vote” on EU membership. 

“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 anti-Semitism but also because its leadership is complete shit,” he said. 

It came as the party lost seats in Thursday’s local elections, with voters turning to the Lib Dems, UKIP and the Greens. 

Labour has refused to fully endorse a second Brexit referendum, instead keeping it as a last resort should the UK be facing a hard “Tory Brexit” or the prospect of crashing out without a deal.