The Independent Group registers to become political party Change UK

European elections will begin on 23 May

The Independent Group has registered to become a political party named Change UK with the aim of standing in European elections which are set to take place in May of this year. The group has also named Heidi Allen as its interim leader, ahead of its first leadership election at its inaugural party conference in September. Allen said: "Today marks a huge step forward on The Independent Group’s journey to becoming a fully-fledged political party, so I am delighted to have been chosen as our Interim Leader. "If we are to deliver on our ambition to change politics for the better, it is vital that we attract support from people from every walk of life, every political background and none." The group was formed on 18 February by seven Labour MPs - Chuka Umunna, Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Mike Gapes, Gavin Shuker and Ann Coffey - who cited Jeremy Corbyn's approach to Brexit, anti-Semitism and "hard-left" policies as factors in their decision to quit the party. They were later joined by Tories Allen, Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston, as well as Labour MP for Enfield North Joan Ryan. The group were forced to issue an official apology less than six hours after their formation after Angela Smith used the phrase "funny tinge" when attempting to describe people "from the BAME community".