Tory rebel Sarah Wollaston warns of 'BLUKIP' forcing centrists out of her party as Westminster waits to see who will be next to join the new Independent Group Tory MP Sarah Wollaston said her party was being seized by ex-Ukip members She warned there would soon be no appeal to moderate centrists voters Intervention will raise expectations Tories could join new Independent Group Westminster is waiting today to see if any other MPs will defect to the group By Tim Sculthorpe, Deputy Political Editor For Mailonline Published: 08:29 GMT, 19 February 2019 | Updated: 08:29 GMT, 19 February 2019 Viewcomments A Tory rebel has warned a 'Blukip' wave of ex-Ukip activists is forcing moderates out of the Conservatives as Westminster waits to see who will be next to join a new Independent Group. Sarah Wollaston said the former Ukip members were 'taking over the Tory Party' allied to MPs in the European Research Group of hardline Brexiteers. Late last night the senior MP warned that 'soon there will be nothing left at all to appeal to moderate centre ground voters'. Dr Wollaston's intervention will raise expectations she and other Tory MPs could join the 'gang of seven' centrists who walked out of Labour yesterday. The Totnes MP has campaigned alongside several of the ex-Labour MPs for a second referendum on Brexit. Chuka Umunna, one of the seven MPs, today said he wanted to see a new political party born out of the defections by the end of the year. Sarah Wollaston said the former UKip members were 'taking over the Tory Party' allied to MPs in the European Research Group of hardline Brexiteers (pictured with two members of the 'gang of seven' Chuka Umunna and Luciana Berger last month) Dr Wollaston's intervention will raise expectations she and other Tory MPs could join the 'gang of seven' centrists who walked out of Labour yesterday Mr Umunna, Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Gavin Shuker, Ann Coffey and Mike Gapes left in rage at Jeremy Corbyn's failure to tackle anti-Semitism. They warned 'politics is broken' and appealed from other parties to join their new group. Their resignation signals the biggest split in British politics since the SDP walked out of Labour in 1981 and realigned the left - paving the way for Tony Blair's election in 1997. They appealed to the public for donations to get the new project - which is not yet a political party and is not yet able to stand candidates - off the ground. Appearing on GMB today, Mr Umunna said he would like to see a new party form out of the group 'by the end the of the year'. Outlining how a new party could be a fighting force before the next election, he said: 'There needs to be an alternative, so that’s perfectly possible – a new party with a new name and new leader in next nine months.' Appearing on GMB today, Chuka Umunna said he would like to see a new party form out of the group 'by the end the of the year' Chuka Umunna, Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Gavin Shuker, Ann Coffey and Mike Gapes left in rage at Jeremy Corbyn's failure to tackle anti-Semitism Mr Umunna insisted he did not believe he and the other MPs should quit their seats and hold by-elections, as demanded by shadow chancellor John McDonnell. He said: 'In a parliamentary democracy you elect a person and then their party after.' Mr Umunna was one of seven Labour MPs to quit yesterday with an explosive attack on Jeremy Corbyn for letting anti-Semitism and a culture of bullying infect their party. After the move Mr Corbyn's own deputy warned more MPs would abandon the party if Labour fails to deal with a culture of bullying and harassment. Tom Watson said he believed the decision of seven MPs to resign and set up a new Independent Group was 'premature' but he refused to condemn them as 'traitors' as he admitted he also no longer recognised parts of Labour. Labour's second in command said the hard-left takeover over of the party had left it with an army of activists 'too easily tempted into the language of heresy and treachery'. Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site dailymail and under his responsibility