London: 7 MPs quit UK's Labour Party over Brexit

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.

Berger, who is Jewish herself, has been very vocal about anti-semitism within the Labour party.

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. Fellow MP Chris Leslie accused the party of betraying the country over Brexit.

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.

Many of the MPs within the Opposition support campaigning for a second referendum to allow the British public another say over Brexit.

They say, March 29 deadline for Britain's exit from the European Union is nearing without a deal acceptable to the UK Parliament in sight from the ongoing Conservative Party-led government's negotiations.