Top Labour figure Emily Thornberry has accused MPs who quit her party to form the new Independent Group of leaving so that they can “cuddle up to the Tories”.

The shadow foreign secretary told a party rally in Nottinghamshire that she “would rather die” than join any other party.

At the same rally leader Jeremy Corbyn also warned that the departing MPs had made a “bad mistake” and suggested they did not understand the origins of the Labour Party.

Nine MPs quit the party in recent days, with eight joining three ex-Conservative members to create a new group.

Ms Thornberry told the rally: “We have a great deal in common and the biggest thing we have in common is the fact that we are Labour.

“We are Labour to the core and Labour to the tips of our fingerprints – and we would rather die than join any other party and we would never think of joining the other eight people who have decided to abandon Labour and cuddle up to the Tories.”

But the strident tone comes as further MPs were said to be ready to quit the party, following the others who left over Mr Corbyn’s leadership, his handling of Brexit and antisemitism.

Which MPs defected to form Change UK? Show all 12 1 /12 Which MPs defected to form Change UK? Which MPs defected to form Change UK? Change UK Details on the individual MPs are in the following photos Reuters Which MPs defected to form Change UK? Heidi Allen Anti-Brexit MP for South Cambridgeshire resigned from the Conservative party on February 20 PA Which MPs defected to form Change UK? Chuka Umunna MP for Streatham since 2010 and prominent People's Vote supporter PA Which MPs defected to form Change UK? Anna Soubry The prominent anti-Brexit MP for Broxtowe resigned from the Conservative party on February 20 PA Which MPs defected to form Change UK? Luciana Berger MP for Liverpool Wavertree since 2010, resigned from the Labour Party over bullying and anti-semitism PA Which MPs defected to form Change UK? Sarah Wollaston Anti-Brexit MP for Totnes resigned from the Conservative party on February 20 PA Which MPs defected to form Change UK? Joan Ryan MP for Enfield North resigned from the Labour party on February 19 citing its tolerance of a "culture of anti-Jewish racism" PA Which MPs defected to form Change UK? Ann Coffey MP for Stockport since 1992 Chris McAndrew / UK Parliament Which MPs defected to form Change UK? Gavin Shuker MP for Luton South since 2010 Getty Which MPs defected to form Change UK? Chris Leslie MP for Nottingham East since 2010 PA Which MPs defected to form Change UK? Mike Gapes MP for Ilford South since 1992 PA Which MPs defected to form Change UK? Angela Smith MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge since 2010

The Labour rally on Saturday was in Beeston, in the Broxtowe seat of Anna Soubry – one of the ex-Conservative MPs in the new group.

Mr Corbyn said to the crowd: “I’m obviously very sad at some of the things that have happened and very sad at some of the things that have been said.

“Walking away from our movement achieves nothing. Not understanding where we have come from is a bad mistake.

“Because when people come together in a grouping, in a community like the Labour Party, there’s nothing we can’t achieve together for everybody.”