BRITAIN’s band of breakaway MPs ruled out a deal with the Lib Dems as they declared: We’re aiming to run the country.

Ex-Labour MP Chris Leslie said that while the new ‘Independent Group’ would work with parties on certain issues, they were “creating something different” to the current political system.

3 MP Chris Leslie is part of the ambitious Independent Group Credit: AFP

And in a dismissive swipe at the Lib Dems run by Vince Cable, he told The Sun: “They do have this issue of trust hanging over their history.

“I don’t think we should let the existing parties continue to carve up the country.”

The comments came as ex-Tory Heidi Allen revealed the staggering ambition of Britain’s newest political force.

Speaking two days after defecting from the Conservatives, she said the so-called TIG want “ultimately to be in Government”.

Ms Allen quit the Tories with Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston to merge with eight Labour MPs led by Chuka Umunna and Mr Leslie.

Mr Umunna earlier this week said they expect to register as a political party later this year.

Other defections from Labour are expected this weekend.

One Labour source said: “Have no doubt, Chuka Umunna wants to be Prime Minister, and he wants to field candidates in all 650 seats at the next Election.”

Vince Cable called for a “partnership” with the Independent Group both in Westminster and across the country.

He said it wouldn’t make sense to be “at each other’s throats” and they shouldn’t field candidates against each other.

But Mr Leslie said any kind of partnership went against the idea of the “new force” the Independent Group was trying to create.

And he signalled the Lib Dems should themselves leave their current political party and cross to his own if they wanted to team up.

He said: “What’s important for us is that we are trying to create something different to the 20th century institutions work.

“I mean no disrespect to the [Lib Dems], they have their own organisation and there will always be a Liberal party.

“But everyone has to make a sacrifice here. If there’s a sense they don’t need to do anything significant like we have, I don’t think that’s right.”

Speaking to her local paper – the Cambridge Independent - Heidi Allen claimed the country was “desperate for a new moderate, centre ground party”.

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She added: “The response has been unbelievable. You dare to dream that we might just do something with this new project.

“We are not in a rush. We want to build from the ground up. It’s grass roots, wiping the slate clean and starting again.

“We do want to take things slowly and make sure we get it right. But that is of course the ambition: a new party and ultimately to be in government.”

3 Heidi Allen says The Independent Group wants to govern Britain Credit: Reuters

3 Chuka Umunna hopes to become Prime Minister Credit: Rex Features

THE SUN SAYS THEY’RE not short of ego, are they? The new 11-strong Independent Group of MPs say their ultimate aim is to form a Government. As it stands they can just about form a Sunday league side. And if we were in any doubt their only real policy so far is to overturn Brexit, Ian Austin’s refusal to join clinches it. As for a “new kind of politics”, all we see is a club of centre-ground Europhile Labour and Tory MPs who vaguely agree they preferred Blair (and maybe Cameron) running the show. Forget the spin. Where are these new ideas?

What is The Independent Group and why did seven Labour MPs quit the party in protest against Jeremy Corbyn?