BURY South MP Ivan Lewis has said that he "admires and respects" the 'courageous' decision of seven Labour MPs to resign from the party.

The splinter group which comprises Liverpool Wavertree MP Luciana Berger, Stockport MP Ann Coffey, Ilford South MP Mike Gapes, Nottingham East MP Chris Leslie, Penistone and Stocksbridge MP Angela Smith, Luton South MP Gavin Shuker, and Streatham MP Chuka Umunna; announced their intention to leave Labour earlier today.

They have since further announced their intention to form the so-called "Independent Group" in Parliament.

In a statement published on Facebook following the resignations, the Bury South MP, who himself resigned from the party in December, described the MPs' decision as "gut wrenching".

He also hit out at alleged anti-Semitism within Labour, saying that it is not the party they or he joined, and pledged to work with the MPs to "build a socially just society".

Mr Lewis said: "It is a sad day when good friends feel the need to leave the Labour Party. I admire and respect their courage in making such a gut wrenching decision.

"The Labour Party is not the party I or they joined. As Luciana Berger said Labour under its present leadership has become institutionally anti Semitic. This is bad enough but it is made worse by those who seek to justify or downplay this in a party which once had anti racism as a core value.

"I look forward to engaging with my independent colleagues about how we can work together in the best interests of the country to build a socially just society."

Earlier today Mr Lewis further stood by Ms Berger after she said she had come to the "sickening conclusion" that the Labour Party is "institutionally antisemitic".

In a tweet Mr Lewis said: "Such a sad day. @lucianaberger has shown immense courage throughout this appalling chapter in @UKLabour history.

"Anti semitism is not a separate class of racism. Luciana is right, Labour under its current leadership has destroyed its own values by becoming institutionally racist."

Mr Lewis resigned from the Labour Party at the end of last year, launching a scathing attack on Jeremy Corbyn.

In his excoriating resignation letter Mr Lewis hit out at the Labour leader over his handling of the anti-Semitism crisis engulfing the party, as well as his position on Israel and Brexit.

Bury North MP James Frith has been contacted for comment.