JEREMY Corbyn’s Labour Party harbours a culture of “bullying, bigotry and intimidation,” a backbencher claimed today, as a group of seven MPs dramatically broke from the party to form a new independent group at Westminster.

Luciana Berger, who is Jewish and has been branded a “disruptive Zionist” by an opponent within her local party in Liverpool, told a news conference held to launch the Independent Group of MPs, that she had come to the “sickening conclusion” Labour was now institutionally anti-Semitic.

READ MORE: Named: Labour MPs split party in Corbyn leadership protest 

In another excoriating attack on the Labour leadership, a fellow member of the new grouping, Chris Leslie, said it would be “irresponsible” to allow Mr Corbyn to become Prime Minister as the party had become “hijacked by the machine politics of the Hard Left”.

The announcement of the Labour split follows weeks of rumour and speculation at Westminster and is the result of years of disgruntlement among some Labour MPs at the leftward lurch of the party under the Islington MP's leadership.

While the group does not contain Scottish Labour MPs, it is known that at least two - Ian Murray and Martin Whitfield – have become somewhat disillusioned by the party's move to the Left.

Mr Murray, who represents Edinburgh South, said he was saddened to see seven talented colleagues leave the party and launched his own attack on Mr Corbyn’s leadership, which he said was “breaking the broad church that this party once built its electoral success upon; a broad church which delivered Labour governments that lifted millions and millions of people out of poverty”.

He urged the Labour leader to “listen and learn” and decide if he wanted to “keep the Labour Party together or if he will continue to foster a culture of bullying and intolerance where his own MPs feel unwelcome and are being forced out”.

READ MORE: Ian Murray says party split is 'sad day' for Labour 

While this appeared to be a veiled threat that more MPs might leave the party if Mr Corbyn did not change his ways and swing behind a People’s Vote on Brexit, Mr Murray also stressed that he still believed Labour was the “only vehicle” for change in the country.

One of the Group of Seven, Angela Smith made clear it intended to “speak to colleagues” in Scotland in the coming days and it “sincerely hopes more of our colleagues will come on board”.

London MP Chukka Umunna, heavily tipped to become the leader of the new group when it meets later this week, issued a plea to voters: "For far too long, political parties in Westminster - parties of which we have been a part - have been failing you. If you are sick and tired of politics as usual, guess what? So are we.

"If you want an alternative, please help us build it. The bottom line is this: politics is broken, it doesn't have to be this way. Let's change it."

Labour peer Lord Foulkes, the former Scotland Office Minister, said he was saddened by the turn of events and stressed that he had “not had the opportunity to think about” whether or not he might join the new group.

He suggested the "trickle of resignations could turn into a flood" if there were a no-deal Brexit outcome and this was likely to be the beginning of seismic changes in British politics rather than the end given the splits with the Conservative Party.

His colleague in the House of Lords, Baroness Liddell, told The Herald she doubted that the resignations from the party in the Commons would see similar ones in the Lords.

“None of us will run away from a fight,” she declared.

READ MORE: Cracks appear in Scottish Labour as MPs quit 

In a Statement of Independence, setting out their values and approach, the new group promised to "pursue policies that are evidence-based, not led by ideology, taking a long-term perspective to the challenges of the 21st century in the national interest, rather than locked in the old politics of the 20th century in the parties' interests".

It claimed none of the current political parties in Westminster was “fit to provide the leadership and direction needed by our country".

And they pledged: "As an Independent Group we aim to recognise the value of healthy debate, show tolerance towards different opinions and seek to reach across outdated divides and build consensus to tackle Britain's problems."

In response, Mr Corbyn said he was “disappointed” the MPs had felt unable to continue to fight for Labour policies that had inspired millions at the last election and saw the party increase its vote by the largest share since 1945.

“Labour won people over on a programme for the many not the few; redistributing wealth and power, taking vital resources into public ownership, investing in every region and nation, and tackling climate change.

“The Conservative Government is bungling Brexit while Labour has set out a unifying and credible alternative plan. When millions are facing the misery of Universal Credit, rising crime, homelessness and poverty, now more than ever is the time to bring people together to build a better future for us all."

Richard Leonard, the Scottish Labour leader, also expressed disappointment at the split but insisted: “Today’s events will not deter us from our mission of working to achieve real and lasting change here in Scotland and as part of the wider effort to change the UK.”

He added they would simply mean “we will all redouble our efforts to achieve a better and more equal society” based on Labour’s lasting values.

Mr Leonard’s predecessor, Kezia Dugdale, said it was a “very sad day” for the party and stressed: “We've got to warn against any idea that the leadership should say: 'Good riddance to them,'” adding: “I want to see a Labour Party that's a broad church; there's a vast amount of support for a People's Vote within that broad church."

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he was "deeply distressed" by the Labour split but admitted the party had been "shockingly poor" at dealing with anti-Semitism within its ranks.

He said: "History tells us that when the Labour Party splits, it leads to the Conservative Party winning the next election and the one after that and the one after that; what people I care about need is a Labour Government. One thing that's going to make that more difficult is Labour splits."

John Healey, the Shadow Housing Secretary, said the seven Labour MPs who resigned should now call by-elections.

He told BBC 2’s Politics Live: “If Angela [Smith] and the other six have the courage of the convictions they laid out today, they should put that to their own constituents,” having been “elected as Labour MPs first”.

Brandon Lewis, the Conservative Party Chairman, said today’s Labour resignations and speeches confirmed Labour had changed irreversibly under the leadership of Mr Corbyn.

“Labour has become the Jeremy Corbyn Party; failing to take action on everything from tackling anti-Jewish racism to keeping our country safe.

“We must never let him do to our country what he is doing to the Labour Party today,” he added.

Ian Blackford for the SNP said the split in Labour showed the party was “not fit for purpose".

He declared: "They are failing as an opposition, failing over Brexit and failing their own MPs.”

The party leader at Westminster noted: “If even his own MPs can’t trust Jeremy Corbyn, then why should the people of Scotland?

“Ultimately this split will strengthen Theresa May and make it even more likely that the Tories stay in power through Brexit and beyond.”

The Highland MP claimed Westminster was now “completely dysfunctional” with warring factions on both sides of the House more interested in their own bitter disputes than the future of the country.

“It is increasingly obvious that decisions about Scotland need to be taken here in Scotland and not at Westminster,” he added.

Sir Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrat leader, said the Labour split was neither unexpected nor unwelcome.

“The Liberal Democrats are open to working with like-minded groups and individuals in order to give the people the final say on Brexit with the option to remain in the EU. We will be engaging in talks to progress both that campaign and a wider political agenda,” he added.