LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (FEBRUARY 18, 2019) (UK POOL) – Seven Labour lawmakers quit Britain’s main opposition party on Monday (February 18) over leader Jeremy Corbyn’s approach to Brexit and a row over anti-Semitism, saying Labour had been “hijacked by the machine politics of the hard left.”

The seven lawmakers were: Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Gavin Shuker, Chuka Umunna, Mike Gapes and Ann Coffey. They will continue to sit as lawmakers in parliament under the banner ‘The Independent Group’.

The departures underline the growing frustration with Corbyn’s reluctance to change his Brexit strategy and start campaigning for a second referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union.

With only 39 days until Britain leaves the EU, divisions over Brexit have fragmented British politics, breaking down traditional party lines and creating new coalitions across the country’s left/right divide.

Corbyn, a pro-Palestinian veteran peace campaigner, has also been accused by some lawmakers for failing to tackle anti-Semitism in the party.

He denies that he has allowed anti-Semitism to grow in the Labour Party and has pledged to stamp it out.

A Labour source close to the group said Monday’s departures could trigger a second wave of resignations, underlining the frustration over Corbyn’s approach to Brexit.

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