Ian Murray has described the Labour MP split as a "sad day", saying Jeremy Corbyn must "listen and learn" if he wants to keep his party together.

The Edinburgh MP, who was not among a group of seven MPs who resigned the whip to form breakaway The Independence Group, called on the Labour leader to "decide if he wants to lead a party for the many or continue to restrict it to a party of the few".

Former shadow cabinet ministers Chuka Umunna and Chris Leslie quit, alongside Ann Coffey, Angela Smith, Mike Gapes, Luciana Berger and Gavin Shuker. 

The Herald:

Read more: Who are The Independence Group? Former Labour MPs form breakaway party

Mr Murray said: “It is a sad day for the Labour Party and for me personally. We have lost the talent and expertise of seven MPs who represent everything our movement should stand for and who are personal friends. 

“The current Labour leadership is 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.

“The challenge now is for Jeremy Corbyn to listen and learn, and decide if he wants 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: Who are the seven MPs who have resigned from Labour?

“That means listening to members who are demanding we give people the opportunity to remain in the EU in line with party policy, and learning from the distressing experiences of people like Luciana Berger so that such vile hatred and intolerance can never again be found in our movement.

“If we work together, our party can be the greatest vehicle for change in this country. It’s the only vehicle. Jeremy Corbyn must now decide if he wants to lead a party for the many or continue to restrict it to a party of the few.”

It come as Kezia Dugdale told how the MPs resigned because they were at their "wits' end".

The former Scottish Labour leader urged the leadership to respond with “understanding”, not revenge.