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London, February 18
Britain’s Opposition Labour Party suffered a jolt on Monday as seven anti-Brexit MPs quit the party in protest against its leader Jeremy Corbyn’s approach to issues, including Brexit and anti-Semitism.
MPs Chuka Umunna, Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Mike Gapes, Gavin Shuker and Ann Coffey held a press conference in London to tell reporters that they would sit as a separate independent group within Parliament.
“This morning we have all now resigned from the Labour Party. This has been a very difficult, painful, but necessary decision,” said Berger, who is Jewish herself and been very vocal about anti-semitism within the Labour party.
“I cannot remain in the party that I have today come to the sickening conclusion is anti-semitic. I am leaving behind a culture of bullying, bigotry and intimidation,” she said.
In her statement on behalf of the group, she said the seven MPs represented different parts of the UK, different backgrounds and generations who share the same values.
“From today, we will all sit in Parliament as a new independent group of MPs,” she said. The move marks the biggest split in Labour since a so-called “gang of four” senior figures left the party in 1981 to form the Social Democratic Party (SDP). “Politics is broken. It doesn’t have to be this way. Let’s change it,” said Umunna, once a frontrunner for the post of Labour leader. He called on others to join the group, indicating their move to split from the party must inspire a new movement. “We invite you to leave your parties and help us forge a new consensus on a way forward for Britain,” he said.
Fellow MP Chris Leslie accused the party of “betraying” the country over Brexit because it had been “hijacked” by the far Left. — PTI
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