LABOUR MPs Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Gavin Shuker, Mike Gapes, Ann Coffey and Chuka Umunna have announced their resignations from the party.

Luciana Berger initially introduced herself as "the Labour Party MP", before correcting herself and saying: "I am the Member of Parliament for Liverpool Wavertree".

She 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."

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn left his home in Islington, north London at around 8.15am on Monday morning and got into a waiting car.

When asked by reporters whether he is expecting resignations, or if his party is in trouble, Mr Corbyn replied, with a slightly irritated tone: "Good morning, how nice it is to see you all here."

Also part of the group of those resigning from Labour was Stockport MP Ann Coffey.

Ms Berger said: "For my part, I have become embarrassed and ashamed to remain in the Labour Party.

"I have not changed. The core values of equality for all, opportunity for all, anti-racism against all and social justice - the values which I hold really dear and which led me to join the Labour Party as a student almost 20 years ago - remain who I am.

"And yet these values have been consistently and constantly violated, undermined and attacked, as the Labour Party today declines to my constituents and our country before party interests.

"I cannot remain in a party which I have come to the sickening conclusion is institutionally anti-Semitic."

Ilford South MP Mike Gapes tweeted: "This morning I have resigned from the Labour Party after fifty years. It has been a great privilege and honour to serve my constituents for 27 years, I intend to continue to represent them as a member of the new Independent Group of Members of Parliament."

He shared his letter to constituents, which said: "This has not been an easy or sudden decision."

Mr Gapes referenced the "considerable reluctance" to "seriously deal with hundreds of cases of anti-Semitism" in the party, and added: "I am sickened that Labour is now perceived by many as a racist, anti-Semitic party."

He continued that it was "increasingly clear that prominent figures in the Corbyn Labour leadership do not want to stop Brexit".

"Jeremy Corbyn, and those around him, are also on the wrong side of so many international issues from Russia, to Syria, to Venezuela. If he ever became Prime Minister it would be a threat to our national security and international alliances," Mr Gapes said.

Reacting to the resignations, Mr Corbyn said: "I am disappointed that these MPs have felt unable to continue to work together for the Labour policies that inspired millions at the last election and saw us increase our vote by the largest share since 1945.

"Labour won people over on a programme for the many not the few - redistributing wealth and power, taking vital resources into public ownership, investing in every region and nation, and tackling climate change.

"The Conservative Government is bungling Brexit, while Labour has set out a unifying and credible alternative plan. When millions are facing the misery of Universal Credit, rising crime, homelessness and poverty, now more than ever is the time to bring people together to build a better future for us all."

Mr Gapes, a former chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, told the press conference: "I am sickened that the Labour Party is now a racist, anti-Semitic party.

"I am furious that the Labour leadership is complicit in facilitating Brexit, which will cause great economic, social and political damage to our country.

"Jeremy Corbyn and those around him are on the wrong side on so many international issues - from Russia, to Syria, to Venezuela.

"A Corbyn Labour government would threaten our national security and international alliances."

As the MPs announced their departure from Labour, former Ukip leader Nigel Farage, whose new Brexit Party launched earlier this year, tweeted: "This moment may not look very exciting but it is the beginning of something bigger in British politics #realignment."

Ann Coffey told the press conference: "I thought I would be in the Labour Party for the rest of my life.

"But political parties are not an end in themselves in a parliamentary democracy. The Labour Party has lost sight of this, it is no longer a broad church.

"Any criticism of the leadership is responded to with abuse and accusations of treachery. Anti-Semitism is rife and tolerated."

Labour MP Stella Creasy tweeted: "Politics is about how you fight for a better future & values that keep you going through storms and sunshine, not who you hate & the badges that you wear. As someone Labour to my core who never ducks a fight I know today Labour has to learn from what's happened, and not lash out."

Nottingham East MP Chris Leslie posted a video to Twitter explaining his decision to resign from the Labour Party.

He said: "Today I've announced I'm leaving the Labour Party and will continue to sit in Parliament representing Nottingham East in a new independent group of MPs.

"I've been a Labour Party member for more than three decades but the Labour Party I joined is no longer today's Labour Party. I did everything I could to save it but it has now been hijacked by the machine politics of the hard left.

"My values haven't changed. I absolutely oppose this Conservative government and desperately want an alternative which tackles the barriers of poverty and discrimination by extending opportunity for all.

"But British politics is now well and truly broken and in all conscience I cannot look you in the face and honestly urge you to support a Jeremy Corbyn-led Labour government."

Mr Leslie added: "Why? Well, for a start, Labour's betrayal on Brexit is visible for all to see. Standing idly by while your livelihoods and future opportunities are put at risk by Brexit is a fundamental violation of Labour's traditional values.

"But the problems go far deeper than Brexit. On anti-Semitism, national security, attitudes to business large and small, impossible promises that couldn't be kept, the Labour leadership's obsession with a narrow, outdated ideology has created a divisive, intolerant culture.

"So while my decision today will provoke attacks against me - all too common in today's politics - I feel I have to be true to what I believe and to put the best interests of Nottingham and the country ahead of party politics.

"Politics is broken and we have to change it. And we can. If you agree, find out more at www.theindependent.group."