CORB CRISIS
What Labour’s split means for Jeremy Corbyn – and for the future of Brexit
Seven pro-EU Labour MPs have walked out of the party and will sit as independents
TODAY'S Labour split is the most dramatic realignment of the political parties for nearly four decades.
The decision by seven moderates to quit and form a new "Independent Group" in Parliament has rocked the party.
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And it could change the path of Brexit - with all seven of the rebels being passionate advocates of a second referendum.
They will use their newfound notoriety to argue for a so-called "People's Vote" on our EU departure.
But now the anti-Brexiteers have left Labour, there will be less internal pressure on Jeremy Corbyn to back a second referendum.
Today the pro-EU People's Vote and Best for Britain campaigns were quick to distance themselves from the Independent Group.
Both organisations insisted they are focussed on trying to win the Labour leadership over to their cause.
Mr Corbyn's closest allies have long expected a split in the party - and some say they're happy to see the rebels leave.
But it means Labour is now down to 249 MPs, compared to 262 after the 2017 General Election.
That could make it harder for the party to defeat the Tories in key Commons votes.
The seven rebels are under pressure to resign their seats in Parliament and trigger a by-election - but they say they won't do so.
There is no way to force them out of the Commons against their will even though they've now quit the party they were elected for.
Bookmaker Betfair slashed the odds on Mr Corbyn leaving his position this year to 5/4, down from 2/1.
If voters agree with the rebels' argument, it could deliver a huge blow to Labour's position in the polls.
Previous party splits have failed in breaking the Tory-Labour duopoly in politics.
But they have had huge knock-on effects ultimately lasting decades.
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In the 1980s, the SDP fell short of its goal of replacing Labour as the main centre-left party.
But it arguably laid the ground for the centrist politics that brought Tony Blair and then David Cameron to power.
And while Ukip never got more than two MPs, the threat the Eurosceptic party posed to the Tories arguably led to Mr Cameron's momentous decision to hold the EU referendum in 2016.
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BBC blunder as live coverage of Labour split captures man saying 'between this and Brexit we're f*****'
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