Seven MPs led by Luciana Berger and Chuka Umunna quit the Labour party today with a furious attack on Jeremy Corbyn for turning Labour into an 'institutionally anti-Semitic' party that was dominated by bullying, harassment and the hard-left.

Vowing to 'change politics', the new 'Independent Group' of MPs - drawn from different generations of Labour - also includes Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Gavin Shuker, Ann Coffey and Mike Gapes. 

They accused Mr Corbyn of turning Labour into a racist party that weakens national security, accepts the 'narrative' of Britain's enemies and lashed him for facilitating Brexit.

In a joint statement, the MPs warned 'visceral hatreds of other people, views and opinions are commonplace in and around the Labour Party'. 

The 'gang of seven' are all fiercely anti-Brexit and most have called for a second referendum on the deal. The move is unlikely to change the balance of Commons votes on Brexit as several of the group already rebelled against Mr Corbyn. 

Following the biggest split in British politics since the SDP was formed out of Labour in 1981, Mr Umunna called for MPs from other parties to defect and join The Independent Group as he said British politics was 'broken'.  

Within moments of the mass resignation, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn hit back: '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.' 

A furious backlash from the left started immediately. The Momentum group that supports Mr Corbyn said the MPs wanted to 'drag Britain back to the politics of the past' while union chiefs warned they had 'no policies, no ideas and no direction'. 

The Young Labour Twitter account vowed: 'Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer, we’ll keep the red flag flying here.'Opening a sensational press conference in Westminster, Ms Berger said she was resigning because she was ashamed and embarrassed' to be in Corbyn's Labour.

She 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.'

Former shadow chancellor Mr Leslie said Labour had been 'taken over' by the 'machine politics of the hard left' - insisting the party had left him and not that his values had changed. 

Mr Leslie slammed Mr Corbyn's failure to endorse a second referendum on Brexit. 

Veteran MP Mr Gapes said he was 'sickened that Labour is now racist anti-Semitic party and furious that Labour party complicit in facilitating Brexit'. 

Mr Umunna called for defections from other parties and urged MPs to come and join the new movement if they 'share our values too'.  

He said: 'For far too long, political parties in Westminster - parties of which we have been a part - have been failing you,' he said.'If you are sick and tired of politics as usual, guess what? So are we.

'That's why we have done what we have done today and why we commit to do things differently.

'We don't have all the answers, so we will treat people like adults and be honest about the tough choices facing Britain.

'We don't have the big money or infrastructure of the political parties. All we can do is direct you to our website. Please sign up.

'We are asking you to help us shape what the next steps should be.

'Building a new politics cannot be done in committee rooms in Westminster, so we want to invite you - the British people - to join us in this endeavour.

'If you want an alternative, please help us build it. The bottom line is this - politics is broken, it doesn't have to be this way. Let's change it.'

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.'

Read more on dailymail.co.uk.