Pay based on use Get Started Purchase a Team or Enterprise subscription for per week You will be billed per month after the trial ends<doc-sep>Luciana Berger Faced a no-confidence motion in her Liverpool Wavertree constituency earlier in February that was withdrawn after it emerged that one of her key opponents within the local party called her a “disruptive Zionist”. An MP since 2010, she resigned from the shadow cabinet in June 2016. She has been a persistent critic of the Labour leadership and has faced antisemitic abuse. For my part, I have become embarrassed and ashamed to remain in the Labour party. I have not changed – the core values of equality for all, opportunities for all, anti-racism against all and social justice. The values which I hold really dear and which led me to join the Labour party as a student 20 years ago remain who I am. And yet these values have been consistently and constantly devalued, undermined, violated and attacked as the Labour party today refuses to put my constituents and our country before party interest.” Chris Leslie MP for Nottingham East since 2010. Held various junior ministerial posts and was shadow chief secretary to the Treasury and shadow chancellor of the exchequer. A vocal critic of Jeremy Corbyn, he lost a vote of no confidence among members of his constituency party in September. Last week, he said Labour’s stance on Brexit was “not acceptable” and that the party political system was “shattered” and “broken”. We did everything we could to save it [Labour]. But it has now been hijacked by the machine politics of the hard left. Our values haven’t changed … But British politics is now well and truly broken. In all conscience, we can no longer knock on doors and support a government led by Jeremy Corbyn or the team around him. The evidence of Labour’s betrayal on Europe is now visible for all to see … Choosing to stand by while our constituents’ lives and future opportunities are hurt by Brexit is a fundamental violation of Labour’s traditional values. Angela Smith The former lecturer has represented Penistone and Stocksbridge since 2010. Supports a second referendum on Brexit and tried to deliver a petition to Labour to that effect, which was turned away. She was one of several MPs to have a motion of no-confidence in her passed by her local constituency party. Smith later called them a “a cabal of hard left members”. I cannot, in all conscience, continue to affiliate with a Labour party that I consider unfit for government. It is not alone in this; our politics is broken and all the main parties are incapable of inspiring confidence in the future. The level of alienation from the political process on the part of the people is at a record high, with the chaos and conflict characterising Brexit encapsulating perfectly the sense of deadlock and hopelessness which pervades our political culture. Gavin Shuker The MP for Luton South since 2010, he has also lost a no-confidence vote, which he blamed on a “handful of people” . He has said some MPs are at “breaking point” and has been critical of Jeremy Corbyn’s handling of antisemitism. Supported Liz Kendall’s campaign to be Labour leader in 2015. I have today resigned my membership of the Labour party. My decision to leave the party is rooted in my commitment to the constituents of Luton South and to making decisions in their best interests. Today, the Labour party is riddled with antisemitism, it presents a threat to our national security and it’s perfectly content to enable the hard Tory Brexit that will directly and negatively affect people in Luton. Ann Coffey Another longstanding MP, Coffey has represented Stockport since 1992. I spent 20 years working as a social worker with families [and] … joined the Labour party 41 years ago to elect an government that understood the real opportunity for families only comes when the right policies are in place. I am proud of the achievements of the last Labour government, and thought I would be in the Labour party for the rest of my life. But political parties are not an end in themselves … The Labour party has lost sight of this and … any criticism of the leadership is responded to with abuse and accusations of treachery … the current leadership has been successful in changing the party beyond recognition and in doing so failing those who have supported Labour all their lives. Loyalty cannot be an end in itself, so I leave the party with great sadness. Mike Gapes MP for Ilford South since the 1992 general election. Last year, he said he could quit the party whip over Corbyn’s handling of antisemitism. Gapes said he felt “tainted and sickened” by the charge of racism hanging over the party he joined 50 years ago and added that he was agonising over what to do next. I am furious that the Labour leadership is complicit in facilitating Brexit, which will cause great economic, social and political damage to our country. Jeremy Corbyn and those around him are on the wrong side on so many international issues – from Russia, to Syria, to Venezuela. A Corbyn Labour government would threaten our national security and international alliances.” Chuka Umunna MP for Streatham since 2010 and shadow business secretary from 2011 to 2015. A former candidate for the party leadership, he has criticised Jeremy Corbyn in the past over his stance on Brexit. After the last election he vowed to back the leader but has been the subject of continuous recent speculation over his future in the party.<doc-sep>Seven MPs leave Labour Party in protest at Jeremy Corbyn's leadership Published 18 February 2019 media caption MPs resign from Labour over Brexit and anti-Semitism Seven MPs have resigned from the Labour Party in protest at Jeremy Corbyn's approach to Brexit and anti-Semitism. They are: Chuka Umunna, Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Mike Gapes, Gavin Shuker and Ann Coffey. Ms Berger said Labour had become institutionally anti-Semitic and she was "embarrassed and ashamed" to stay. Mr Corbyn said he was "disappointed" the MPs had felt unable to continue working for the policies that "inspired millions" at the 2017 election. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said the "honourable thing for them to do" would be to stand down as MPs and seek to return to Parliament in by-elections. Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson, in a video message on Facebook, urged the "hard left" to stop celebrating the departure of the seven MPs, saying it was "a moment for regret and reflection not for a mood of anger or a tone of triumph". media caption John McDonnell: Resigning MPs have 'responsibility' to call by-elections "Betrayal narratives and shouting insults at the departed might make some feel better briefly but it does nothing to address the reasons that good colleagues might want to leave," said Mr Watson. He said Luciana Berger's decision to quit was a "wake-up call for the Labour Party" over anti-Semitism, saying: "We were slow to acknowledge we had a problem and even slower to deal with it." Labour had to "broaden out" and become more tolerant, he said, adding: "I love this party. But sometimes I no longer recognise it, that is why I do not regard those who have resigned today as traitors." What is the new group trying to do? The seven MPs, who all back a further EU referendum, are not launching a new political party - they will sit in Parliament as the Independent Group. But Chuka Umunna said they had "taken the first step" and urged other Labour MPs - and members of other parties - to join them in "building a new politics". "It is time we dumped this country's old-fashioned politics and created an alternative that does justice to who we are today and gives this country a politics fit for the here and now - the 21st Century," he said at a launch event in central London. He said there would be "no merger" with the Liberal Democrats, who have 11 MPs, and the group wanted to "build a new alternative". The group rejected comparisons with the Social Democratic Party - which broke away from the Labour Party in the early 1980s but eventually merged with the Liberal Party - saying it was a different era and they would not be contesting by-elections. In a founding statement on its website, the group sets out its approach to the economy, public services and security, as well as Brexit. One of the seven MPs, Angela Smith, has, meanwhile, had to apologise after being criticised for a comment about skin colour on BBC Two's Politics Live programme. media caption Angela Smith criticised over skin colour comment In a discussion about race, the MP appeared to say: "It's not just about being black or a funny tinge." She has since posted a video on Twitter apologising for the comment, adding: "I am very upset that I misspoke so badly." Could more MPs defect to new group? image copyright PA By BBC Political Correspondent Iain Watson Defections to the Independent Group are likely to increase - but it will need to attract some of those beyond Labour to become a proper "centre party". Two more MPs were undecided about whether to be at the launch, one of them was 90% but clearly not 100% there. And more still may be persuaded to go unless they see a more robust response to anti-Semitism. But strong supporters of the Blair/Brown governments such as Peter Kyle and Ben Bradshaw are staying to fight their corner on Brexit and it's likely in the short term the numbers who do go will be small. This is no simple centrists v left, or indeed, ultra left split. However, the reaction of left-wing activists to today's drama could be crucial. If they feel fired up to de-select those who share the politics of the defectors but who have no intention of leaving Labour, the splinter could yet become a more sizeable split. What did the defecting MPs say? Each of the seven took turns to explain their personal reasons for quitting the party. Ms Berger said: "I am leaving behind a culture of bullying, bigotry and intimidation." Chris Leslie said Labour under Mr Corbyn had been "hijacked by the machine politics of the hard left". Mike Gapes said he was "sickened that Labour is now perceived by many as a racist, anti-Semitic party" and "furious that the Labour leadership is complicit in facilitating Brexit". Whatever you think of these seven leaving Labour it is clear it’s been a huge decision for them all - you can see it on their faces, no joy in it for them and they know the abuse they will get and are already receiving — Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) February 18, 2019 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. View original tweet on Twitter How did it go down with other Labour MPs? Senior Labour figures, including former leader Ed Miliband and London Mayor Sadiq Khan, expressed their dismay at the split, with Mr Khan saying on Facebook that the seven MPs were friends of his but he would not be joining their new group and it was a "desperately sad day". I deeply regret the decision of my former colleagues to leave Labour. Labour's values are still my values and a Labour government is the best hope for the country we need. Labour must and will continue to be a broad church as it has always been. — Ed Miliband (@Ed_Miliband) February 18, 2019 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. View original tweet on Twitter<doc-sep>Seven British lawmakers quit the main opposition Labour Party on Monday over its approach to various issues, including Brexit and anti-Semitism — the biggest shakeup in years for one of Britain's major political parties. The announcement ripped open a long-simmering rift between socialists and centrists in the party, which sees itself as the representative of Britain's working class. It's also the latest fallout from Britain's decision to leave the European Union, which has split both of the country's two main Conservative and Labour parties into pro-Brexit and pro-EU camps. Many Labour lawmakers are unhappy with the party's direction under leader Jeremy Corbyn, a veteran socialist who took charge in 2015 with strong grassroots backing. They accuse him of mounting a weak opposition to the Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May's plans for leaving the European Union and failing to stamp out a vein of anti-Jewish prejudice in the party. The quitters represent only a small fraction of Labour's 256 lawmakers, or of the 650 total MPs in Parliament. But this is the biggest split in the party since four senior members quit in 1981 to form the Social Democratic Party. 'Institutionally anti-Semitic' Luciana Berger, one of the MPs who announced she is leaving, said Labour has become "institutionally anti-Semitic." "I am leaving behind a culture of bullying, bigotry and intimidation," she said at a news conference alongside six colleagues. Labour leaders have admitted that Berger, who is Jewish, has been bullied by some members of her local party in northwest England. Labour has been riven by allegations that the party has become hostile to Jews under Corbyn, a longtime supporter of the Palestinians. Corbyn's supporters accuse political opponents and right-wing media outlets of misrepresenting his views. 'Complicit in facilitating Brexit' There have long been signs that the 2016 decision by British voters to leave the EU could spark a major overhaul of British politics. May's Conservatives are in the throes of a civil war between pro-Brexit and pro-EU wings. Labour is also split. Many Labour members oppose Brexit — which is due on March 29 — and want the party to fight to hold a new referendum that could keep Britain in the 28-nation bloc. But Corbyn, who spent decades criticizing the EU before becoming a lukewarm convert to the "remain" cause in the 2016 referendum, is reluctant to do anything that could be seen as defying voters' decision to leave. The seven MPs leaving the Labour Party on Monday are, from left: Ann Coffey, Angela Smith, Chris Leslie, Mike Gapes, Luciana Berger, Gavin Shuker and Chuka Umunna. (Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press) "I am furious that the leadership is complicit in facilitating Brexit, which will cause great economic, social and political damage to our country," said Mike Gapes, one of the departing lawmakers. The seven lawmakers said they will continue to sit in Parliament as the newly formed Independent Group. Corbyn said he was "disappointed that these MPs have felt unable to continue to work together for the Labour policies that inspired millions at the last election and saw us increase our vote by the largest share since 1945." The Labour lawmakers who quit in 1981 eventually became today's Liberal Democrats, a centrist party that has failed to topple the dominance of the two bigger parties. The new group of seven stopped short of forming a new political party, but the seeds have been sown. The new group has a name, a website and a statement of principles, which argues for a mix of pro-business and social-welfare measures, and a pro-Western foreign policy that is closer to the so-called New Labour of former prime minister Tony Blair than to Corbyn's old-school socialism. Their statement said the Labour Party "now pursues policies that would weaken our national security; accepts the narratives of states hostile to our country; has failed to take a lead in addressing the challenge of Brexit and to provide a strong and coherent alternative to the Conservatives' approach." U.K. voters 'feel politically homeless' The departing lawmakers said they would not be joining the Liberal Democrats, and urged members of other parties to help them create a new centrist force in British politics. "We do not think any of the major parties is fit for power," said Angela Smith. "People feel politically homeless, and they are asking and begging for an alternative." Victoria Honeyman, a lecturer in politics at the University of Leeds, said history suggests the breakaway group will struggle to gain traction in British politics. "It's very cold out there as an Independent," she said. "It's all well and good leaving because you believe the party has moved away from you, but you can often achieve more from being inside the tent."<doc-sep>
Seven Labour MPs announced their resignations from the party on Monday morning after months of tension and disagreement over the leadership's handling of Brexit and antisemitism. The seven are: Chuka Umunna, Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Mike Gapes, Gavin Shuker, and Ann Coffey. They will operate under the name the Independent Group. The group will sit as independent MPs in the House of Commons. "British politics is now well and truly broken," Chris Leslie, one MP said at the press conference. "The evidence of Labour's betrayal [on Brexit] is now clear for all to see." The group then called for cross-ideology action against Brexit, inviting MPs from all political parties to join their group. LONDON — Seven MPs announced their departure from Labour on Monday morning after months of tension and disagreement over the leadership's handling of Brexit and antisemitism within the party. The seven — Chuka Umunna, Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Mike Gapes, Gavin Shuker, and Ann Coffey — told a press conference in central London that they were quitting Labour to become independent MPs, operating under the name the "Independent Group." It is the biggest Labour split since a handful of senior figures walked away from the party in 1981 to form a centre-left party called the Social Democrat Party. "British politics is now well and truly broken," Chris Leslie, one of the seven departing MPs, said at the press conference on Monday morning. "The evidence of Labour's betrayal [on Brexit] is now clear for all to see." "We have no choice but to say collectively, enough is enough," the former shadow minister added, saying that the group believes Labour under Jeremy Corbyn is focused on a "narrow and outdated ideology." In a statement released soon after the announcement was made, the Independent Group said: "Our primary duty as Members of Parliament is to put the best interests of our constituents and our country first. Yet like so many others, we believe that none of today’s political parties are fit to provide the leadership and direction needed by our country. "Our aim is to pursue policies that are evidence-based, not led by ideology, taking a long-term perspective to the challenges of the 21st century in the national interest, rather than locked in the old politics of the 20th century in the party’s interests." Responding to the split, Labour leader Corbyn said he was "disappointed that these MPs have felt unable to continue to work together for the Labour policies that inspired millions at the last election." Labour splits after months of tension and speculation There was talk of a potential Labour split months prior to Monday morning. The party's most staunch pro-EU MPs have been unhappy with Corbyn's approach to Brexit and his refusal to support a new referendum. "I am furious that the Labour leadership is complicit in facilitating Brexit," Mike Gapes, the MP for Ilford South said on Monday. There is also frustration among MPs about the leadership's handling of the antisemitism crisis which has engulfed Labour over the last few years. A new report by the anti-racism group Hope Note Hate concluded that the Labour Party is not doing enough to tackle antisemitism in response to hundreds of allegations against its members. Liverpool Wavertree MP Luciana Berger, who is Jewish and has been at the heart of the party's antisemitism row, said she is leaving behind an "institutionally antisemitic" party that endorses "bigotry" and "bullying." "I am sickened that the Labour Party is now a racist and antisemitic party," her colleague Gapes said. Anne Coffey, who represents Stockport, added: "Antisemitism is rife and tolerated. The current leadership has been very successful in changing this party beyond recognition. "It is no longer a broad church. Any criticism of the leadership is responded to with abuse and accusations of treachery." Stefan Rousseau/PA Images via Getty Images The Independent Group invited people from across the political spectrum to join them, with Umunna, one of the most fervent backers of People's Vote, making a clear appeal to rebels within the Conservative Party. "We invite you to leave your parties and help us forge a new consensus for the way forward for Britain." Umunna said that the group has not yet formalised official roles, including who will be leader. The group also ruled out fighting by-elections in their constituencies in the near future. By-elections are "absolutely not what is needed right now," Chris Leslie said.