Chuka Umunna has stepped down as Change UK’s lead spokesman to sit in parliament as an independent MP PAUL ELLIS/GETTY IMAGES

Change UK all but collapsed yesterday as more than half its MPs quit just four months after leaving the two biggest parties with a vow to reshape British politics.

Anna Soubry is left leading a group of five MPs but the other six, including the interim leader Heidi Allen and the lead spokesman Chuka Umunna, have become independents as they consider whether to jump ship to the Liberal Democrats.

Joining Ms Allen, a former Tory, and Mr Umunna, a former Labour leadership candidate, in quitting yesterday were the ex-Tory Sarah Wollaston and the ex-Labour MPs Luciana Berger, Gavin Shuker and Angela Smith.

They leave behind the former Labour MPs Chris Leslie, Joan Ryan, Mike Gapes and Ann Coffey. </s> Fledgling party to be led by Anna Soubry after departure of Heidi Allen and Chuka Umunna

This article is more than 3 months old

This article is more than 3 months old

Six of Change UK’s 11 MPs, including its spokesman, Chuka Umunna, and interim leader Heidi Allen, have abandoned the fledgling party after its dire performance at the European elections.

Change UK announced that it now had just five MPs, who will be led by the former Conservative business minister and anti-Brexit campaigner Anna Soubry.

The others remaining are the former Labour MPs Mike Gapes, Chris Leslie, Joan Ryan and Ann Coffey. In their statement, they said they would embark on a “nationwide programme of deliberative democracy”, across the UK.

“Change UK doesn’t just belong to MPs. It belongs to the country and those looking for a sense of hope and leadership to genuinely change our politics,” the five said in a statement.

“We are in it for the long haul,” Leslie said. “It was never going to be easy to challenge the established parties. Of course there’s a whole treacle of cynicism that gets poured on people who try to do something different.”

He said the MPs had agreed that Soubry, who has been a leading figure in the People’s Vote campaign was “absolutely the clearest voice” in the “Brexit maelstrom” – and that they did not want to waste crucial weeks selecting a leader, like the Conservative party.

Soubry said she was “deeply disappointed” that colleagues had resigned. “Now is not the time to walk away, but instead to roll up our sleeves and stand up for the sensible mainstream centre ground which is unrepresented in British politics today,” she said.

Several of the MPs who have quit the party are believed to be considering defecting to the resurgent Liberal Democrats, although they issued a statement saying that they would initially sit as a group of independents.

Allen and Umunna have both been advocating closer cooperation with Vince Cable’s party. Some of their erstwhile colleagues suspect they may have been offered plum seats, or the backing of Lib Dem activists in their existing constituency, if they defect.

The other four MPs to quit the party were Luciana Berger, who fronted its slick press launch on London’s South Bank in February, Gavin Shuker, who had spent months drawing up secret plans for the breakaway group, Sarah Wollaston and Angela Smith.

Only a national government can deliver Britain from its Brexit nightmare | Ed Davey Read more

Change UK, which was initially called the Independent Group, caused a stir in Westminster when it was launched four months ago after the defection of seven Labour MPs. It had hoped to become the catalyst for a major political realignment, attracting a string of other recruits and becoming the rallying point for remainers.

High-profile candidates including the former Conservative minister Stephen Dorrell, and the journalists Rachel Johnson and Gavin Esler, joined the party’s list of prospective MEPs.

However, it has been beset by internal disagreements over strategy and management, including how closely to cooperate with other parties.

Change UK’s leading candidate to become an MEP in Scotland, David MacDonald, stepped aside from the race and recommended voting for the Lib Dems. Two other candidates resigned after offensive social media posts were uncovered.

Even before the European election polling day, Johnson questioned its strategy, saying: “If I were running it, we would have one leader and a different name and we would have done a deal with all the other remain parties. Then we would be able to give the Brexit party a fight.”

Timeline Change UK's breakaway MPs – the story so far Show Hide Luciana Berger, Ann Coffey, Mike Gapes, Chris Leslie, Gavin Shuker, Angela Smith and Chuka Umunna quit the Labour party. Almost immediately Smith is heavily criticised for referring to people from minority backgrounds as having a 'funny tinge' - for which she later apologises. Three Conservative MPs leave their party to join the group: Sarah Wollaston, Heidi Allen, and Anna Soubry. Joan Ryan, ex-Labour, had joined the group the day before. After renaming itself Change UK, the party gets into a row with petition site Change.org, who release a statement warning it will be 'seeking guidance' over the 'imitation' of its brand. Two election candidates are forced to resign within 24 hours of each other after offensive tweets emerge, including Joseph Russo, the party's top Scotland candidate, writing 'black women scare me'. MP Joan Ryan bizarrely implores the audience at the party's Bath rally to look at their palms: 'It's there, the future is in your hands'. The day before the party's lead Scottish candidate felt the future lay elsewhere - defecting to the Lib Dems a week before European elections. Party leader Heidi Allen suggests Change UK may not exist at general election. 'Will I stand again [...] as Change UK, in whatever format? Let's hope, depends when next general election comes,' she says

In the week before the European parliamentary elections it emerges that Change UK spent £87,000 on Facebook adverts, becoming the biggest single political advertiser on Facebook - including spending at least £1,300 promoting Facebook adverts mistakenly saying it was campaigning to 'remain in the UK'. The party ends up winning 3.4% of the vote at the election, securing no MEPs. Six of Change UK’s 11 MPs, including its spokesman Chuka Umunna and interim leader Heidi Allen, abandon the fledgling party. Former Conservative business minister and anti-Brexit campaigner Anna Soubry becomes leader. Party announces it would be renamed for third time after legal threat from Change.org, and has applied to the Electoral Commission to be known as the Independent Group for Change. Chuka Umunna says there is no room for two centre-ground parties in British politics after he joins the Liberal Democrats 10 days after abandoning Change UK. Four of the original breakaways, Heidi Allen, Luciana Berger, Gavin Shuker and Angela Smith form a new group, the Independents. Joining them is former Labour MP John Woodcock. Not to be confused with either independent MPs or the Independent Group for Change, they say they are not forming a party, but are 'a co-operative of independent politicians working with you to find new ways forward in politics'. Sarah Wollaston joins the Liberal Democrats.

Allen, the South Cambridgeshire MP, was appointed interim leader, but Umunna was still widely regarded as Change UK’s public face. Allen admitted she had considered resigning in the run-up to the European elections. She had suggested voting tactically for the Lib Dems in that poll, a proposal Soubry later called “rather bizarre”.

Soubry and Umunna had struck up a close political friendship as co-chairs of the cross-party group on EU relations, which coordinated the tabling of anti-Brexit amendments in parliament.

But the pair clashed over Change UK’s future direction, with Soubry determined that it should continue as a political party, while Umunna became convinced it could only survive by striking up a close alliance with the Lib Dems.

Cable’s party positioned themselves as the leading pro-remain party at the European elections, with a punchy “bollocks to Brexit” slogan. The party’s strong performance, scooping up 20% of the vote, followed gains in local elections in May. Change UK, in contrast, took 3%.

Umunna published a statement on his website on Tuesday, saying he had differed with colleagues over the party’s direction.

“While I believe it should carry on as an organisation, I do not believe Change UK should carry on in its current form. This has put me in a fundamentally different place not only to other Change UK parliamentary colleagues but also its activists and candidates who should be free to take the party in the direction they wish,” he said.

He added that he planned to sit as an independent in parliament, “for the time being”.

With Cable stepping aside, frontrunners for the Lib Dem leadership, Ed Davey and Jo Swinson, have suggested they would welcome new recruits.

Swinson said: “As the European and local election results showed, the old, two-party politics is fracturing. The Liberal Democrats are at the heart of the fight against nationalism and populism and I want to lead this party to grow that movement.”

Davey, who had been more sceptical about the idea of an electoral pact with the breakaway group, said: “Change UK’s swift demise shows that my reluctance from the beginning to discuss mergers and pacts, and to hold firm in our belief that the Liberal Democrats are the clear home for all who want to stop Brexit, was the right call.” </s> Anna Soubry has become leader of Change UK after six MPs quit the party, it has been announced.

We reported earlier today how the Change UK party appears to be in turmoil with a number of MPs considering quitting.

The Press Association understands that some of its 11 MPs are contemplating joining the Liberal Democrats or becoming independents, while others are keen to keep the newly founded party going.

Party leader Heidi Allen has previously floated the idea of a possible merger with the Lib Dems.

The party, originally called the Independent Group, is made up of MPs who left Labour and Tory ranks.

Talk of a split comes after Change UK performed poorly in the European Parliament elections.

The Mirror understands six MPs will return to being Independents but five plan to stay as part of Change UK.

There was a suggestion the breakaway MPs could join the Liberal Democrats who soared into second place in the European poll as the leading Remain party while Change UK languished in eighth place on 3.4%.

The group is meeting this afternoon to discuss their future.

It has been beset by disagreements over strategy including a spat over a pro-Remain pact for the European elections.

Interim leader Heidi Allen hinted at a possible merger with the Liberal Democrats after the poll, saying: “I think we are sensible enough to know we can’t do it on our own.

“Do we all agree that the long goal is something centrist together? Then, yes, we are all on that same path.”

But sources suggest there are no plans to do so at this point </s> Change UK has elected Anna Soubry as their new leader after six of the party’s 11 MPs quit today.

The cross-party group appears to be on the verge of collapse following their humiliating blow at the European Elections.

As many as six of the party’s 11 MPs – including interim leader Heidi Allen – have left the breakaway party.

Soubry said she was ‘deeply disappointed’ Allen, Chuka Umunna, Luciana Berger, Sarah Wollaston, Gavin Shuker and Angela Smith had walked out, but insisted there was still a party to lead.

The former Tory MPs is left with just Chris Leslie, Joan Ryan, Mike Gapes and Ann Coffey as the only remaining Change UK MPs.

Change UK, formerly known as the Independent Group, said in a statement following the news: ‘Challenging the established political parties was never going to be easy. But we remain determined to fix Britain’s broken politics and we are in this for the long haul.

‘You may have heard the news that some of our MPs group have decided to leave Change UK, which is saddening and disappointing just at the moment we need to roll up our sleeves, challenge the Brexit emergency and champion sensible evidence-based policy-making in the face of the main parties drifting to the ideological fringes.

‘We regret their decision, but it is vital we continue to lead and look forward to future elections – and get started on building our policies and party across the country.’

Announcing the news in a statement, the now independent MPs, said: ‘We are all immensely proud of the team of Change UK candidates and supporters who stepped forward to join us in making the unequivocal case for Remain in the recent EU elections.’

It added: ‘Heidi Allen, Luciana Berger, Gavin Shucker, Angela Smith, Chuka Umunna and Sarah Wollaston have made the decision to leave Change UK, returning to supporting each other as an independent grouping of MPs.

‘We believe that our priority right now must be to provide collegiate leadership to bring people together in the national interest.’

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable said he would like the MPs to join his party but could also work with them in other ways.

He told the BBC: ‘Most of the group are people who share the same values as we do.

‘My door is open to talk with them, particularly the independent group, about their future.

‘I don’t want to gloat over their failure. It was a failure. But we have got to move on and I want to be positive about it.’

This comes after Allen suggested voting tactically for the Lib Dems in the EU elections, a proposal Soubry later called ‘bizarre’.

Change UK added: ‘We are delighted that Anna Soubry has taken on the role as our new leader, and our hope is to quickly broaden out our nationwide leadership to include some of our key supporters and activists from across the country.

‘Change UK doesn’t just belong to MPs. It belongs to the country and those looking for a sense of hope and leadership to genuinely change our politics, not simply settle for the existing party status quo.

‘We hope that you agree this is a cause worth fighting for – and we will need your help and support going forward.

‘While British politics slips into chaos around us, now is the time to stand firm in our beliefs and champion the mainstream centre ground values we articulated when we left our former parties in the first place.’ </s> • Change UK rocked after 6 of its 11 MPs quit the struggling party.
• The party was formed by former Conservative and Labour MPs in February.
• But it has struggled in both the polls and the ballot box and failed to win a single seat in this week’s European Parliament elections.
• Former Conservative MP Anna Soubry was elected as new leader.

LONDON – Six of Change UK’s 11 MPs dramatically quit the party on Tuesday, just five months after it was established, following a disastrous performance in the European elections.

Change UK issued a statement on Tuesday saying the party now consisted of just five MPs.

Chuka Umunna, Sarah Wollaston, Heidi Allen, Luciana Berger, Gavin Shuker, Angela Smith all confirmed they were leaving the party.

The remaining MPs are Anna Soubry, Chris Leslie, Joan Ryan, Mike Gapes, and Ann Coffey. Soubry will replace Heidi Allen as permanent party leader.

In a statement, Soubry said: “I’m deeply disappointed that at such a crucial time in British politics our former colleagues have made this decision.

“Now is not the time to walk away, but instead to roll up our sleeves and stand up for the sensible mainstream centre ground which is unrepresented in British politics today. “Going forward, the Change UK MPs are as determined to fix Britain’s broken politics as we were when we left our former parties.

In a separate statement, the party’s departing MPs said they remained “proud” of what the party had achieved but had “concluded that by returning to sit as independents, we will be best placed to work cross party and respond flexibly.”

One Change UK source told Business Insider that the six departing MPs had been “spooked” by the European election results and had started to “worry about keeping their seats” at the next general election.

Some but not all of the six MPs are expected to eventually join the Liberal Democrats, sources familiar with Change UK told Business Insider. For now they will sit as independent representatives in the House of Commons.

Change UK launched in February as The Independent Group when eleven MPs quit Labour and the Conservatives in protest against the leaders and state of their former parties, including their policies on Brexit.

The party had hoped to replace the Liberal Democrats as the most popular centrist party in British politics and eventually challenge the Tories and Labour as a party of government.

However, they struggled to gain traction with the public, following a series of name changes and blunders, including failing to submit a compliant logo to electoral authorities in time for the European elections.

The party went on to win just over three per cent of the national vote and no Members of the European Parliament.

There also been disagreement within Change UK over whether the new party should work together with other anti-Brexit parties in elections, with members like MPs Chris Leslie and Anna Soubry arguing against it.

Soubry publicly criticised the party’s interim leader Allen on the eve of the European elections, for suggesting that anti-Brexit Brits should vote tactically and back the Lib Dems.

“I think it is rather bizarre for an interim leader on the eve of poll to tell people essentially not to vote for their party,” Soubry last month.

“You do not stand candidates and then say to people ‘we are going through a complete farce please don’t vote for them.”

The Lib Dems went on to win 20% of the vote and continue to receive a boost in post-election polls, leading in one recent survey. </s> Anna Soubry has become leader of Change UK after six MPs quit the party.

The newly formed party split as high-profile figures like Chuka Umunna and ex-leader Heidi Allen walked out.

Along with former Tory minister Ms Soubry, the remaining Change UK MPs are Chris Leslie, Joan Ryan, Mike Gapes and Ann Coffey.

The split comes after the party, originally called the Independent Group, performed poorly in the European Parliament elections.

The six MPs who quit Change UK will now sit as independents.

Ms Soubry, who quit the Tories in protest at its Brexit stance, said: "I'm deeply disappointed that at such a crucial time in British politics our former colleagues have made this decision.

"Now is not the time to walk away, but instead to roll up our sleeves and stand up for the sensible mainstream centre ground which is unrepresented in British politics today.

"Going forward, the Change UK MPs are as determined to fix Britain's broken politics as we were when we left our former parties.

"Challenging the established broken political parties was never going to be easy.

"We registered as a political party to stand in the European elections but it was never our sole purpose.

"It is vital we continue leading the fight against a damaging Brexit, pressing for a People's Vote and being prepared to revoke Article 50 in the face of a no-deal Brexit.

"But Brexit is not the cause of our broken politics, it is a symptom of it. So we now look forward to providing a real choice for the public in future elections and building our policies through the evidence-led, deliberative policy making project we were planning before the European elections."

A joint statement from the six MPs leaving Change UK, tweeted by Ms Allen and Sarah Wollaston, said that the party had boosted the European Parliament campaign and turnout.

The MPs, who also include Luciana Berger, Gavin Shuker, and Angela Smith said they would be "supporting each other as an independent grouping".

The MPs added: "We believe that our priority right now must be to provide collegiate leadership to bring people together in the national interest.

"We know the landscape will continue to shift within the political environment and have concluded that by returning to sit as independents, we will be best placed to work cross-party and respond flexibly.

"We wish our colleagues well as they continue to build Change UK."

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable said he would like the MPs to join his party but could also work with them in other ways.

He told the BBC: "Most of the group are people who share the same values as we do.

"My door is open to talk with them, particularly the independent group, about their future.

"I don't want to gloat over their failure. It was a failure. But we have got to move on and I want to be positive about it."

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Find old stories in our online Archives and search for jobs, motors and property, or place an advert or family notice here </s> Anna Soubry has become leader of Change UK after six MPs quit the party.

The newly formed party split as high profile figures like Chuka Umunna and ex-leader Heidi Allen walked out.

Along with former Tory minister Ms Soubry, the remaining Change UK MPs are Chris Leslie, Joan Ryan, Mike Gapes and Ann Coffey.

The split comes after the party, originally called the Independent Group, performed poorly in the European Parliament elections.

Ms Soubry, who quit the Tories in protest at its Brexit stance, said: “I’m deeply disappointed that at such a crucial time in British politics our former colleagues have made this decision.

“Now is not the time to walk away, but instead to roll up our sleeves and stand up for the sensible mainstream centre ground which is unrepresented in British politics today.

“Going forward, the Change UK MPs are as determined to fix Britain’s broken politics as we were when we left our former parties.

“Challenging the established broken political parties was never going to be easy.

“We registered as a political party to stand in the European elections but it was never our sole purpose.

“It is vital we continue leading the fight against a damaging Brexit, pressing for a People’s Vote and being prepared to revoke Article 50 in the face of a no-deal Brexit.

“But Brexit is not the cause of our broken politics, it is a symptom of it. So we now look forward to providing a real choice for the public in future elections and building our policies through the evidence-led, deliberative policy making project we were planning before the European elections.” </s> Change UK has lost more than half of its MPs amid infighting and policy clashes in the wake of a disastrous EU election result.

Leading figures in the party, including interim leader Heidi Allen and former Labour MP Chuka Umunna, have quit the upstart party.

In the wake of the defections, former Tory MP Anna Soubry has been co-opted as leader and said the remaining five MPs were “as determined as ever to fix broken politics”.

As well as Ms Allen and Mr Umunna, former Labour MPs Gavin Shuker, Luciana Berger and Angela Smith, and former Conservative Sarah Wollaston have left.

Pro-Remain party Change UK, formerly known as the Independent Group, launched just four months ago when a group of Labour and Tory MPs defected from their party and formed a breakout group.

But it is understood to have been beset with infighting over policy and strategy since its formation.

Despite causing a splash in Westminster during its launch, with predictions that it could shake up both major parties, it is polling at less than one per cent just weeks later.

And in the recent European elections, in which the pro-Remain Lib Dems outperformed expectations, Change UK failed to win a single seat.

Ms Soubry said she was “deeply disappointed that at such a crucial time in British politics our former colleagues have made this decision [to leave]”.

“Now is not the time to walk away, but instead to roll up our sleeves and stand up for the sensible mainstream centre ground which is unrepresented in British politics today.”

“Challenging the established broken political parties was never going to be easy,” she added. We registered as a political party to stand in the European elections but it was never our sole purpose.

“It is vital we continue leading the fight against a damaging Brexit, pressing for a People’s Vote and being prepared to revoke Article 50 in the face of a no-deal Brexit.” </s> Change UK have split just four months after the 11 former Labour and Tory MPs formed a new party - and they've even elected another new leader.

It has been exactly six weeks since Change UK launched its campaign for the European Parliamentary elections right here in Bristol.

The nation’s media descended on the city for the launch and they, along with dozens of party supporters, packed out a function room at We The Curious.

It was a launch that came with all the bells and whistles - a dramatic walk-in, outbreaks of applause, some famous names on the candidate list and plenty of Change UK branding.

When asked why Bristol for the launch MP Chris Leslie, who is one of the five to remain with the party - said it’s because “We The Curious - a lot of people are curious about what’s going on in politics.”

Unfortunately it seems not a lot of people were curious about Change UK.

The party had a pretty dismal EU elections last month, when it failed to get a single MEP elected.

Nationally Change UK managed to get just 3.4 per cent of the vote - coming just ahead of Ukip and Welsh nationalist party Plaid Cymru.

And it seems this result has led to a split within the party both figuratively and literally.

On Tuesday (June 4) six of the party’s 11 MPs announced the would be leaving the party to sit as independents with just five staying as part of Change UK.

The rump of the party have elected ex-Tory Anna Soubry as their new leader.

Chris Leslie, Mike Gapes, Joan Ryan and Ann Coffey will remain with the party.

But Chuka Umunna, Sarah Wollaston, Heidi Allen, Angela Smith and Luciana Berger have said they will return to "supporting each other as an independent grouping of MPs."

There was a suggestion the breakaway MPs could join the Liberal Democrats who soared into second place in the European poll as the leading Remain party.

Liberal Democrat deputy leader and leadership candidate, Jo Swinson, has invited all pro-Remain politicians to join their party.

But according to the Mirror Online sources suggest there are currently no plans to do so.

Commenting on the split Ms Soubry MP said: "I'm deeply disappointed that at such a crucial time in British politics our former colleagues have made this decision.

"Now is not the time to walk away, but instead to roll up our sleeves and stand up for the sensible mainstream centre ground which is unrepresented in British politics today.

“Going forward, the Change UK MPs are as determined to fix Britain’s broken politics as we were when we left our former parties.

“Challenging the established broken political parties was never going to be easy. We registered as a political party to stand in the European elections but it was never our sole purpose.

"It is vital we continue leading the fight against a damaging Brexit, pressing for a People’s Vote and being prepared to revoke Article 50 in the face of a no-deal Brexit."

The new party was formed when seven MPs broke away from Labour citing concerns about the party's Brexit policy, the leadership and the handling of anti-Semitism.

They were soon joined by three Tory MPs Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston who had all clashed with their party over Brexit.

Initially known as the Independent Group, called TIG by some, they finally decided on the name Change UK.

They stood a number of high profile candidates in the European elections, including Rachel Johnson in the South West and former BBC journalist Gavin Esler but failed to get the votes they needed to gain an MEP.
Six Change UK MPs quit the party, with several said to be defecting to the Liberal Democrats, including its interim leader Heidi Allen and spokesperson Chuka Umunna after the party failed to win a single seat in the 2019 European Parliament election. Anna Soubry, one of its remaining four MPs, becomes the party's new leader.