Become a Member
News

Luciana Berger quits Change UK as new party loses more than half its MPs

She and departing colleagues say sitting as independents helps them 'work cross party and respond flexibly'

June 4, 2019 15:06
Luciana Berger at the press conference announcing her departure from Labour in February 2019
1 min read

Luciana Berger and five other MPs have quit Change UK, less than four months after she walked out of Labour to help found the party.

Ex-Labour MPs Ms Berger, Angela Smith, Chuka Umunna and Gavin Shuker followed former Tories Heidi Allen - Change UK leader - and Dr Sarah Wollaston out of the brand new party, after it failed to win a single seat in the European Parliamentary elections and rowed over how to cooperate with other anti-Brexit parties.

This leaves just Anna Soubry, former Labour Friends of Israel chair Joan Ryan, Chris Leslie, Ann Coffey and Mike Gapes in the new party.

In a joint statement, the departing MPs - who are rumoured to be mulling joining the Liberal Democrats - said they would be "returning to supporting each other as an independent grouping of MPs".

To get more news, click here to sign up for our free daily newsletter.