Seven British MPs launch 'new politics' leaving Corbyn's party

LONDON, Feb 18 (BBC): 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.

The MPs 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".

"Politics is broken, it doesn't have to be this way. Let's change it," he said at a launch event in central London.

He said there would be "no merger" with the Liberal Democrats and the group wanted to "build a new alternative".

Chris Leslie said the seven would have their first formal meeting "in a few days" time to "assign roles and responsibilities".

The group has launched a website with a statement of its founding values, which appears to have crashed, and a twitter feed.

And the group rejected comparisons with the SDP - 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.

After months of debate behind closed doors, seven Labour MPs have gone - each with their own tipping point. For Luciana Berger, anti-Semitism, bullying and intimidation was central; for Chris Leslie "Brexit was the tipping point".

It was clearly a painful decision for Mike Gapes - emotion etched on his face.

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 per cent but clearly not 100 per cent there.

And more still may be persuaded to go unless they see a more robust response to anti-Semitism.

But what's interesting is who wasn't, as well as who was, on stage.

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.

Each of the seven took turns to explain their personal reasons for quitting the party.

Ms Berger said: "This morning we have all now resigned from the Labour Party. This has been a very difficult, painful, but necessary decision.

"We represent different parts of the country, we are of different backgrounds, we were born of different generations, but we all share the same values.

"From today, we will all sit in Parliament as a new independent group of MPs."