What is The Independent Group? Everything you need to know about the seven Labour MPs quitting the party

‘This has been a very difficult, painful, but necessary decision,’ MPs say

Seven MPs have announced their resignations from the Labour Party and will be sitting in parliament as The Independent Group.

Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Gavin Shuker, Mike Gapes, Ann Coffey and Chuka Umunna all said they have left the party.

Annoucing the move, 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.”

Here is everything you need to know about the seven MPs quitting the Labour Party:

Chuka Umunna

(Getty) (Getty Images)

Elected as the MP for Streatham in 2010, his majority was just under 14,000 in 2015 and increased to more than 26,000 in 2017.

He campaigned for Remain in the referendum and his constituency was one the highest supporting Remain areas in the country.

Following Labour’s defeat in 2015 Mr Umunna was touted as a potential leader and announced his candidacy for the leadership.

Three days later he withdrew from the contest noting the “added level of scrutiny” was not something he was comfortable with.

Under Ed Miliband he was the party’s shadow business secretary but after Jeremy Corbyn’s election as leader of the party Mr Umunna resigned from the shadow cabinet.

He has since been an active campaigner for a Final Say referendum and been a vocal critic of the party leadership.

Chris Leslie

(Getty) (Getty Images)

Elected the MP for Shipley in the 1997 election and served until 2005, when he lost his seat to Philip Davies.

He returned to parliament in 2010 in Nottingham East with a majority of just under 12,000 in 2015, and increased it to more than 19,000 two years later.

Mr Leslie has served as the party’s shadow chancellor, shadow chief secretary to the treasury and shadow employment minister.

In September of last year Mr Leslie lost a vote of no confidence brought against him by his local constituency party.

Luciana Berger

(PA (PA)

The MP for Liverpool Wavertree since 2010, her majority increased from 24,000 to just under 30,000 from 2015 to 2017.

She was previously the shadow minister for climate change, then under Mr Corbyn was appointed shadow minister for mental health.

Ms Berger resigned from the post in 2016 in the mass resignation of shadow ministers from the Labour frontbench over concerns about Mr Corbyn’s leadership.

She campaigned for Remain and her constituency backed staying in the European Union during the referendum.

Ms Berger has been a vocal critic of the alleged antisemitism in the Labour Party and attended and spoke at a demonstration in Parliament Square about the issue.

Earlier this month it was announced two no-confidence motions had been submitted against Ms Berger by her local party. After widespread criticism these were later withdrawn.

Mike Gapes

(PA (PA)

The MP for Ilford South has held the seat since 1992, his majority growning from 402 to more than 31,000 in 2017.

He supported Remain and continues to campaign for a Final Say referendum.

He has been a long-term critic of Mr Corbyn and has publicly criticised a number of the leader’s policy positions.

When Mr Corbyn initially refused to meet with Theresa May to discuss the Brexit negotiations, Mr Gapes tweeted: “Apparently Corbyn is prepared to hold talks with Hamas, Hezbollah, Assad and Iran without preconditions. But not with the UK Prime Minister. Why?”

Angela Smith

(PA (PA)

The MP for Penistone and Stockbridge for the past nine years, before boundary changes she held the seat for Sheffield Hillsborough from 2005 to 2010.

She served as the party’s deputy leader of the House of Commons under Ed Miliband.

Ms Smith has been a vocal critic of Mr Corbyn and in 2016, following the Brexit referendum, backed a vote of no confidence against the party leader.

She campaigned for Remain in the referendum and voted against triggering Article 50.

Her local constituency party passed a motion of no confidence in her due to her lack of support for the party leadership, her support for fracking and her opposition to water renationalisation.

Ms Smith said the move was due to a “cabal of hard-left members”.

Gavin Shuker

Will Gavin Shuker give his Luton South constituents a chance to back yesterday’s resignation? (PA)

The MP for Luton South since 2010, his majority has increased from just over 2,000 to 14,000.

He supported Liz Kendall to be Labour leader in 2015 and has been critical of Mr Corbyn.

Last year his local constituency party passed a vote of no confidence against him.

In response he tweeted: “At a local Labour Party meeting last night a motion of no confidence in me was passed. It’s not part of any formal procedure, so it changes nothing about my role as Labour MP for Luton South.”

Ann Coffey

(PA (PA)

The MP for Stockport since 1992, her majority increased from 10,000 to more than 14,000 from 2015 to 2017.

She served as the private secretary to chancellor Alistair Darling from 2007 to 2010.

Ms Coffey campaigned for remain in the Brexit referendum and two days after the result, alongside Margret Hodge, she submitted a letter requesting a motion of no confidence in the party leader Mr Corbyn.