Labour split news: Jeremy Corbyn reveals disappointment over resignations by seven MPs

Jeremy Corbyn today said he "regretted" the decisions made by seven MPs to leave the Labour party.

The Labour leader said he had been left “disappointed” by the seven MP’s decision to leave as he said he wanted “our party to be strong”.

Mr Corbyn made the comments while appearing at the MAKE UK manufacturing conference to deliver a speech on Tuesday.

Addressing the MP’s departure, he said: “I regret that seven MPs decided they would no longer remain part of the Labour Party, I thank them for their work."

He added: "I hope they recognise that they were elected to Parliament on a manifesto that was based around investment in the future, was based around a more equal and fairer society and based around social justice.

"They were elected to carry out those policies, they decided to go somewhere else and I regret that because I want our party to be strong, I want our party to be united around the policies that we have put forward."

Streatham MP Chuka Umunna led the group of seven in announcing they would form a “new group of independent MPs” in “protest over the future of British politics” on Monday morning.

The seven MPs, who are calling themselves The Independent Group, quit over Mr Corbyn’s handling of Brexit and claims of anti-Semitism at a dramatic press conference.

The MPs who quit Labour are: Chuka Umunna, Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Ann Coffey, Angela Smith, Gavin Shuker and Mike Gapes.

Asked what he would do differently to address the concerns of his MPs, Mr Corbyn said: "Anyone who thinks they are not being consulted are not taking up, in my view, the opportunities that are available there and open and ready for them at all times to do that.

"I'm always prepared to discuss policies with people in the party and I do all the time."

Mr Corbyn sidestepped a question about Tom Watson's call for a reshuffle to reflect the wider political opinions of the Parliamentary Labour Party.

He said: "I'm proud to lead the Labour Party, I'm proud of what the Labour Party has achieved - the National Health Service, the Equalities Act, the Human Rights Act - what it has achieved in so many areas of our society.

"But I recognise that leading the party means you have got to take people with you and I am determined to do that - determined to do that so that we can, when an election comes - present those policies and that determination to the public as a whole."