Today 7 Labour MPs have left their party to become Independents.

It's not unexpected, or unwelcome. In part, they've been pushed to this by Jeremy Corbyn's refusal to respect his party’s policy on Brexit.

"I am furious that the Labour leadership is facilitating Brexit." Mike Gapes MP on the #LabourSplit.

The British people deserve better opposition to Brexit.

Liberal Democrats are the only party dedicated to fighting Brexit. Join us today https://t.co/Bomm21Qhk9 — Liberal Democrats (@LibDems) February 18, 2019

We've always been strong proponents of working across parliamentary lines. This is no exception. We're open to working with the new Independent Group and any other like-minded individuals to give the people the final say on Brexit. We'll be engaging in talks to progress on that and a wider political agenda.

It's never easy to walk away from a movement you formerly believed in. The breakaway MPs are right; Labour and the Conservatives aren't fit for purpose. Politics is broken - that's why we're reinventing our party to be more open, outward looking and to demand better for Britain. We welcome and applaud the Independent Group's bravery and hope that other MPs will follow them.

We need to keep the pressure on the Government, though. There's only one way out of the national embarrassment that is Brexit - a people's vote.

Will you join the 240,000 others who've signed our petition calling for an exit from Brexit?