Birmingham’s nine Labour MPs have vowed to stay in the party. In a statement they said: ‘We will continue to fight for the better future we know is possible, standing together as part of the Labour family, with our trade unions, socialist societies and in Parliament as Labour MP’s’.

The statement continues by reminding Birmingham constituents that ‘for more than a century our movement has fought for social justice, for the many and not the few.’

This joint statement was issued following Labour MPs from other constituencies nationally leaving the party.

A total of eight Labour Party MPs left the party to form a new group in parliament, sitting as the new Independent Group. The eight Labour MPs were then joined by three MPs from the Conservative back benches.

These MPs issued a joint statement when leaving the party and said that they chose to leave Labour because their ‘progressive values’ have been ‘abandoned by today’s Labour Party.’

They mentioned Labour’s foreign policy, economic policy, Brexit stance, ideological dogma and anti-Semitism.

Birmingham’s Labour MPs say that they ‘wish our colleagues had not chosen to leave.’ However, they acknowledged that ‘Labour must not think itself beyond criticism.’ Finally, they said that ‘it is important that we listen to the concerns that have been raised.’

Redbrick spoke to a second year history student who said: ‘It’s good to see a bit of solidarity and togetherness during such a turbulent time for the Labour Party.’